<P> Gelato can be served in any way that ice cream is, including cup, cone, sandwich, cake, pie, or on a stick . </P> <P> Some believe the history of gelato is rife with myths and very little evidence to substantiate them . Some say it dates back to frozen desserts in Sicily, ancient Rome, and ancient Egypt made from snow and ice brought down from mountaintops and preserved below ground . </P> <P> However, gelato was invented by Buontalenti, in Florence (Tuscany), during the Renaissance period . The eccentric Buontalenti created the dessert for the Grand Duke Cosimo I de' Medici, who wanted him to organize an opulent banquet to celebrate the Spanish deputation . It was October 5, 1600, and Buontalenti had worked for four months to prepare such a banquet . In Florence, most shops selling hand - made ice - cream also usually offer a "Buontalenti" flavour . In 1686, the Sicilian fisherman Francesco Procopio dei Coltelli perfected the first ice cream machine . However, the popularity of gelato among larger shares of the population only increased in the 1920s--1930s in the northern Italian city of Varese, where the first gelato cart was developed . Italy is the only country where the market share of artisanal gelato versus mass - produced gelato is over 55% . Today, more than 5,000 modern Italian ice cream parlors employ over 15,000 people . </P> <P> The traditional flavors of gelato consist of vanilla, chocolate, hazelnut, pistachio, cream (also known as custard), and Stracciatella (fior - di - latte gelato with chocolate chunks). </P>

1 in what part of italy was gelato first made