ALL ABOUT FOOD:No waffling about the contents of these cones

If word of mouth or the intoxicating aroma of freshly baking waffle cones wafting out of Peppertree Lane hasn’t yet alerted you to the presence of Gelato Paradiso, we are pleased to put you in the know.

Tucked away in this charming arcade is a true Italian gelateria. Beautifully appointed, with a pressed tin ceiling, rich nut-brown woodwork, marble topped counters and stone flooring, its centerpiece is a very attractive Italian arched glass display case containing elegantly piped platters of luscious looking indulgences.

They opened their doors in Laguna seven months ago and lines of people formed all summer long waiting impatiently for their fix of the addictive bacio (chocolate hazelnut), sweet cream caramel or double chocolate.

Scott Trujillo, the manager, says, “I can’t believe the loyalty and allegiance of Laguna people. We couldn’t possibly pay for the advertising that word of mouth has brought us.” Once your mouth meets this tasty treat, you’ll be spreading the word too.

If you think gelato is just ice cream, think again! Historians believe that the Romans were the first to create a sweet gelato--like substance by mixing ground fruit and honey with snow and shaved ice.

Popular legend has it that the chef at the court of Cosimo di Medici was the culinary genius behind the creamy gelato we know today. American style ice cream contains anywhere from 60% to 120% “overrun” (the amount of air inside the product) diffusing the flavor, while Paradiso’s gelato has only 30%.

It is also made from 93% whole milk and 7% cream while regular ice cream is 50/50.

American ice cream is frozen solid and has to soften somewhat to be served. Gelato, more like frozen yogurt, can be served immediately after being extruded from the gelato machine. It is then put in a forced air freezer, different from an American style freezer in that it blows around the product at a consistent temperature so that it never becomes too hard.

Scott emphasizes that this gelato is truly artiginale (handmade). All the ingredients, except for the fresh produce and dairy, come from Italy: coffee beans, mint, nut pastes, chocolate etc.

It is made fresh every day in the laboratorio next to the shop and what you buy is never more than 24 hours old. If you happen to be strolling by at 6 or 7 in the morning, you can watch it being made. In the summertime, they were so busy that they were making batches all through the day, providing entertainment for the long line of customers waiting outside.

Gelato contains considerably less butterfat than ice cream but still has an incredibly creamy texture. It contains no stabilizers or emulifiers such as egg, carrageenan, guar gum or polysorbate and the flavorings are all natural and fresh.

For instance, the pistachio is made from a freshly ground nut paste that gives it a light green color and pure pistachio flavor. Gelato has 1/3 fewer calories, 2/3 less fat and ¾ less cholesterol than regular ice cream. However, if you freeze it, it loses its wonderful texture and tastes pretty much like regular ice cream.

In the laboratorio they also make sorbettos that contain only fresh fruit, water and sugar. The origin of sorbet goes back to India. Arab traders brought it to Sicily and from there it spread throughout the Mediterranean world.

Gelato Paradiso makes a variety of seasonal fruit flavors, for example, mango, that is actually made from fresh mango puree and lemon, made with fresh lemon juice and lemon zest. Both the gelatos and sorbettos are not overly sweet, allowing their natural flavors to shine through.

Their most popular flavor is bacio (chocolate hazelnut), followed by double chocolate. Terry loves chocolate but dislikes hazelnut anything... except bacio. The double chocolate has an intense chocolate flavor making it one of our favorites and, like all of the gelatos, has that deeply creamy texture. Also high on our list were the pistachio and the espresso that tasted exactly like the quintessence of each and the lemon sorbetto that is perky, tart and refreshing.

They serve the gelati in cups or the house-made waffle cones. If you must take it home, you can buy it bulk packed. Also available are special order custom-made cakes in a variety of flavors like the Tiramisu, which combines tiramisu, mascarpone and cappuccino gelati layered between slices of espresso-soaked sponge cake and topped with mascarpone semifreddo and Italian cocoa powder. Now that should make a happy birthday! In addition, they serve a variety of coffee based drinks, frappes, granitas and shakes.

All this good stuff doesn’t come cheap. A regular cone is $3.95 and a large is $4.95. Does anybody out there remember when a single scoop was a dime? We do!

If you ever leave Laguna, their original store is in Corona del Mar in the Bristol Farms shopping center and there is another in Fashion Island. The fourth store is located on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard and the owners of the chain, who wish to remain anonymous, are planning to franchise in the near future.