Gelateria Natale 

When I get to heaven, I hope the streets are paved in Mustacciolo gelato. In Lecce, it feels like all those little maze-like streets have one perpose: to deliver you to the doors of Gelateria Natale which makes the best Gelato in all of Salento and simply could not be missed. I let my guides choose the flavors because I'm sure local palates have the best taste, but also because I still barely can ready any Italian beyond the basics. But I'm oh so glad I did because I never would have chosen the bizarrely long placard with  'Mustacciolo' written in it if I was all by my lonesome with no experience in this very serious experience. What is it? Mustacciolo gelato is chocolate, cinnamon and candied orange peel and is completely and utterly divine. The texture of the candied fruit and the silky gelato is a combination to die for, and a match made in heaven when paired with pistachio.

As you can see from the photo, I nearly walked out into oncoming traffic more than once before I finished the last tip of the cone.

If your salivary glands have kicked into overdrive reading this Iike mine have, there's good news on the horizon. Mustacciolo is also a cookie from Salento which is a cinnamon and candied fruit combination in a rhomboid shape, coated in dark chocolate. They are first mentioned in a lunch menu for Pope Pius V in the 1500s in Napoli, but these will be making a come back in Connecticut for Christmas 2014. Here's a recipe if you just can't wait but I'm not making any promises. When translated it also says to add ammonia. I'm sure they don't mean the cleaning solution so please don't make these and add ammonia. I want to see all of you when I get back.

http://www.misya.info/2013/12/12/mustaccioli.htm

*please note the first and third photos àre not mine up were graciously borrowed as I was too distracted to take any decent photos. Thank you internet.