TACOMA, Wash. — Fanaticos! That's what the sales reps were calling Medzo Gelato Bar owners Fareed and Jennifer Al-Abboud at a trade show in Italy.
"We embraced it," Jennifer said. "We know that in the context being called fanatics was meant to be derogatory because even in Italy now about 95% of the gelatos are mass produced for the tourist market."
At Medzo Gelato Bar you'll find the opposite of mass production. The Al-Abbouds handcraft one pan of gelato at a time using organic dairy products and all natural ingredients. They studied with the pastry chef to Pope Benedict learning to balance flavors and have had gelato stores on Bainbridge Island, West Seattle and Burien. All with the goal of staying small and authentic.
"When you mass produce you have to compromise," Fareed said. "I mean that's a logical thing. But when you are small mom and pop kind of shop like us, making it one pan at a time with its own recipe, we can afford the time and the energy and the money to do it right."
It's the pursuit of simple perfection. The pistachio gelato has just one ingredient. Pistachios. When the couple couldn't find the right kind of caramel they made their own.
Even on grey days, customers like Gil and Duffy Gilmore can relive memories of sunny times on the Mediterranean.
"Bellissimo!" Duffy said after taking a bite of the strawberry sorbet.
"What we really enjoy is that it takes people back to Italy," Jennifer said. "It reminds them of fond memories and that's special to us."
Medzo Gelato Bar is located at 612-B Tacoma Avenue in Tacoma. They are open every day of the week but Tuesday and Wednesday. In November you can preorder pies and pints of gelato for Thanksgiving.
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