Sweet scoop alert! Florence Gelato has unveiled the Canberra flavour

Posted on 8 February, 2024

The people have spoken: Florence Gelato has unveiled the official gelato flavour of Canberra. 

It’s been on the lips and minds of Canberrans for over a week – ‘If Canberra were a gelato flavour what would it be?’. Lemon myrtle to represent the bush capital? Popping candy for Skyfire? Honey for Canberra’s overabundance of springtime pollen? A hint of smoke for Summernats?

Put to the public by  Florence Gelato in celebration of their opening at Belconnen Markets, there have been endless enthusiastic suggestions. But now we finally have an answer.

Ranging from the funny (“Ken Behren: a little salty, a little nutty and a little sweet”,  or “Vanilla bean – either sophisticated or dull, depending on perspective”) to the sweet (“Bubblegum – we keep getting referred to as the Canberra bubble so let’s own it!”, or “Bush Bliss: eucalyptus, lemon myrtle, and wildflower honey”) to the ridiculous (“Bunnings sausage sizzle flavour”, or The LBG: I’m not sure about the flavour but it should unite and divide us just like its namesake, Lake Burley Griffin”), owners Matteo and Juliana Sassi were certainly given food for thought.

And after reviewing hundreds of community suggestions across social media, they’ve finally confirmed the flavour of the gelato they will be crafting to capture the essence of the city:  The CBR: Crunchy Berry Ripple.

Inspired by the many commenters who proposed the inclusion of wattleseed, The CBR is a sweet, creamy and flavoursome infusion that combines the wattleseed with macadamias, local honey, and raspberry – and it sounds amazing. Because as the former Head Pastry Chef at Adriano Zumbo Patisserie and Canberra’s Sonoma Bakery, Matteo is no stranger to inspired flavour combinations.

“Wattleseed is our nod to the wattle trees that are emblematic of Canberra. The addition of macadamias – a nut native to Queensland – represents all those who come from other places to make Canberra their home,” explains Matteo.

“We wanted to incorporate some crunch to symbolise the less-loved parts of Canberra (roundabouts, property prices and politicians), with sweet and tangy raspberry representing the gooey adoration that many Canberrans have for the wonderful parts of our city (our short commutes, lovely lakes, and great community).”

The result? A gelato that has more than meets the eye. Featuring a creamy, nutty base, a brittle of caramelised local honey, macadamia and wattleseed to add pops of texture and sweet swirls of raspberry coulis to cut through the gelato’s decadence, it’s a sweet dedication to our city.

“We hope that locals and visitors alike come to taste The CBR for themselves,” says Matteo.

Florence Gelato is the realisation of a long-held dream for Matteo, who started work in the culinary industry as a 14-year-old apprentice. Training as a pastry chef, chocolatier, gelato maker and baker at Italy’s Cast Alimenti Culinary Academy, Matteo worked as the executive production manager of gelato stores and restaurants in London, taking third place in the 2016 Savour Pâtissier of the Year.

The CBR: Crunchy Berry Ripple flavour will be on sale as a limited edition item from 9 am Saturday 10 February at Florence Gelato in Belconnen’s Capital Food Market.

Long story short? Run, don’t walk because you won’t want to miss trying this.