Talenti Pumpkin Pie Gelato (#30)

[By Nick, New for 2014, Seasonal] So about a week ago I was joking around with Talenti on twitter saying that they should make a Pumpkin Pie Gelato for next fall. Little did I know that such a flavor was already in development, let alone that I'd find it at my Shop Rite just a few days later. When I saw the pint behind the freezer door, you could say I was more excited than the trendies on the first day of pumpkin spice latte  season (or PSL as they call it). Well, you know, minus the yoga pants and ugg boots... maybe, but that's not here nor there. Talenti has graced us with a new pumpkin option for the fall season and I'm happy to be the first to report to the masses about it.

Talenti Pumpkin Pie Gelato (#30)

Now Dubba and I were talking about the potential of this flavor when we first got word of it and to be honest I was a bit worried. You see, Talenti is known for making some very awesome stuff but sometimes things can be a little too natural for us. With the onslaught of pumpkin products each year from ice cream to cookies to drinks to pretty much anything else, so many companies cheat by using only spices and then leaving the actual pumpkin component to a minimum or not including it at all. I had a feel Talenti wouldn't go that route and I was correct when I looked over the ingredients. Pumpkin is listed fourth among everything else which is actually even higher than I was expecting. Also while I can see some sort of swirl, I don't see any graham flour or something to suggest of any sort of crust mix-in in the ingredients outside of the wheat flour. Not having an official description doesn't help things either. Enough with the dissection, let's open up flavor #30!

Removing the lid reveals more of that swirl I could see on the outside. It almost looks as if it's caramel. You're able to see spices everywhere but surprisingly there's no aroma coming off this gelato.

Letting this pint temper was harder than usual but worth it like always. That velvety, smooth texture is such a thing of beauty. As for the flavor, Talenti has done it again because this stuff is remarkable. First off, like I suspected, the pumpkin flavor is strong. That's a good thing though because it's natural and let's for all of the spices to compliment instead of overpower everything.

While the cinnamon is the most noticeable spice, there is a decent amount of nutmeg flavor to go around. As for the swirl, well it's not caramel nor is it all that prevalent. I really can't identify what exactly it is but it seemed to be almost like a pumpkin pie spice syrup of sorts. It's quite tasty and amplified the spice flavor profile.

I wish there was a bit more swirl in my pint though. I wasn't sure if there was any type of crust component to this gelato and to be honest, I'm still not sure. You can see those almost gingerbread colored chunks, right? Well I can't really describe what they are and if they're a crust, a cookie or some sort of crumble. While they do remind me of gingerbread in taste, there's no ginger listed in the ingredients. Their texture is a whole other story. Some of them are soft and crumbly like a soft baked cookie while others are more hard and crunchy almost like a dense graham cracker. Whatever they are, they're what really brings this flavor together.

With all the components brought together, I felt as if I was in trendie heaven. It was really that good. As some of my exs might say, "I can't even right now." Seriously though, this might just be my new favorite pumpkin product and up there for my product of the year. Once this pint starts showing up around you, grab it and a few others because who knows how long it'll be on shelves.

Verdict?  Finally a pumpkin product that tastes like pumpkin!
Buy Again?  I will be hoarding these with what little extra freezer space I have.

Dubba's Note: Wow, this one is good, really good. It's probably the most vibrant and natural pumpkin flavor I've ever had. In fact, as I sit here recovering from the urge to inhale the entire pint, I think I'll actually throw out a disclaimer. This isn't some sweet pumpkin pie. This isnt some half hearted mainstream ice cream. This is top notch gelato and the spices play a major role here. This one is crazy addictive, especially if you start scooping the half melted edges. Awesome job Talenti.