Despite being an acclaimed continental traveler and sampler of many unusual dishes, I've never relished real gelato, for many disparate reasons.
The first time I was confronted with dessert was around 2003 or so. I was in Fort Collins, Colorado, working as an on-air talent for a public radio station. After a rousing mid-day shift, I decided to walk to the new gelato house in town, wanting a frozen treat for a frosty job.
But, as I was about to enter the storefront, across the street, a college frat-guy yelled out “Hey! Ron Jeremy!” and something about self-pleasuring.