The most enjoyable summer parties are intergenerational, even though piling the whole family into the same car — and actually heading to the same destination — is a triumph in any season.

To host a party that will please folks from ages 5 to 95 can be a challenging balancing act. What kind of activities can you dream up so that each guest is positive you planned the party just for him or her? The answer might be in the Italian word piazza and the delicious Italian gelato and sorbetto.

When Gail Silverton acquired a home in the small village of Panicale, in Umbria, Italy, she was drawn to the piazza — the warm, welcoming town center where citizens of all ages gathered at the gelateria to enjoy a dish of stracciatella, a hazelnut gelato cone or a raspberry sorbetto. They would sip an espresso, gossip with neighbors, and because it felt so good to be there, they would linger as long as possible.

When Silverton returned home to Studio City, Calif., she and her husband, Joel Gutman, longed to re-create that special sense of community. They created Gelato Bar — a place where people of all ages and groups could meet. And, because it just feels so good to be there, folks like to linger.

It's not easy to find a place where everything seems right with the world. But you can encourage the same camaraderie at your summer party by creating a warm, welcoming environment, and at its center, a Gelato Dessert Table where folks are invited to sample the flavors, make their own cones or bowls, or even create a gelato sandwich with a delectable homemade cookie.

Since gelato is more popular than ever — the best is as delicious as our finest ice cream and contains a fraction of the calories — the luscious Italian sweet will be a delicious centerpiece.

What is gelato?

Gelato is dairy-based with fruit, nuts, chocolate, toffee or any number of enticing ingredients, while sorbetto is dairy-free, made only of fruit, sugar and water and has no fat or cholesterol. When deciding on flavors for your party, a good mixture is four gelati — stracciatella, vanilla, pistachio and hazelnut — and two sorbettos, such as raspberry and mango.

The good news is that, as delicious as gelato is, it's lower in calories, fat, sugar and carbs than American ice cream because it's generally made with 90 percent milk. Traditional American ice cream has a 70/30 mix of milk and cream.

Get this party started

If you're feeling adventurous, experiment making your own gelato, but for a party, it's easier to buy it from a gelateria. (See sidebar). The premier gelato makers in the U.S. learned the art in Italy and use time-honored techniques in which milk-based velvety gelato and flavor-dense sorbetto are produced every day.

High-quality gelato is made in metal pans with fresh, natural ingredients and has no preservatives or artificial flavoring. Beware if the color is too intense, warns Silverton. It is probably filled with food coloring. Lemons are not sun-blinding yellow and pistachio nuts are not fluorescent green; in fact, they are a dull, grayish green. Flavors should be just as they appear in nature.


Because gelato has such a rich, intense flavor, it doesn't cry out for toppings; it is itself a topping, says Silverton. She loves to plop a scoop of gelato atop a brownie or a brioche, wedge it between a pair of Oreo or peanut butter cookies to make a gelato sandwich or even a double-decker gelato sandwich.

If you do want to serve toppings, serve them on milk-based gelato. Sorbetto needs little more than freshly whipped cream, although children and teens love to sprinkle toppings on their gelato no matter what. Set out bowls of chopped, toasted almonds, Valrhona chocolate pearls, English toffee, coconut, miniature chocolate chips or even gummy bears.

Adults will probably take their gelato plain or with a dollop of whipped cream.

Cones

Some gelaterias will have a commercial pizzelle iron, which resembles a waffle iron and produces thin, pliable cookies. You can shape the warm pizzelles into a cone or, for the "spoon set," fashion a bowl, which actually holds more gelato.

Make them in advance or set out two irons on the gelato table and, under supervision of a knowledgeable pizzelle maker, let guests make their own. You can order cones from www.gelatomarket.com or VillaDolce
Gelato.com.

Mini cones are fun for parties, and guests will ask for three or four so they can sample their favorite flavor. These melt-in- your-mouth minis hold about two bites of gelato. Although cones with flat bottoms are easier to serve, many people prefer the classic sugar cone which comes to a point at the end.

Creating a chocolate rim

Dipping the rim in chocolate is not only delicious; it makes the cone stronger so it won't get soggy when the gelato is added. Heat dark, sweetened, chocolate in a microwave or on top of a double boiler. Cool it until it's just slightly warm, dip the rim in the syrup, and spin it around. When chocolate is slightly cool, roll it in crushed almonds, if desired. Set cones in the holders and place in freezer or refrigerator to harden, about 20 minutes.

Recipes

STRACCIATELLA

(Makes 1 quart)

11/2 cups heavy cream

11/2 cups whole milk

11/4 cups sugar

1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

2 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

In a medium saucepan, combine cream, milk and sugar.

Cook over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved, and then cook until bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Remove from heat. Add the vanilla bean, scraping seeds into the milk and let stand for 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until thoroughly chilled.

Remove the vanilla pod and stir in the chocolate pieces. Transfer to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Adapted from Gelato! by Pamela Sheldon Johns, (Ten Speed Press, 2000).

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RASPBERRY SORBETTO

(Makes 1 quart)

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup spring water

4 cups fresh raspberries

Juice of half a lemon

1 egg white

In a medium saucepan combine sugar and water over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool. In a blender or food processor, puree raspberries until smooth. Strain in a fine-meshed sieve to remove the seeds and reserve 31/2 cups of strained puree. Stir puree into the cooled sugar syrup. Stir in lemon juice. Refrigerate at least 2 hours until chilled.Transfer mixture to ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's directions until partially frozen. Add the egg white to the mashine and continue to mix and freeze until firm.

Adapted from Gelato! by Pamela Sheldon Johns (Ten Speed Press, 2000).

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NOT NUTTER BUTTERS

(Makes 36 cookies)

3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter

1 vanilla bean

2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons kosher salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup light-brown sugar

3/4 cup natural, chunky-style unsalted peanut butter,

excess oil poured off and discarded

21/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

In a medium skillet, melt 1 stick of the butter over medium heat. Using a small paring knife, split the vanilla bean lengthwise. With the back of the knife, scrape out the pulp and seeds, and add the scrapings and the pod to the butter. Add the oats, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring constantly, until oats are lightly toasted and a golden brown color. Transfer to a bowl, discard the vanilla pod and chill the mixture.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the remaining butter, the baking soda, and salt on low speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until butter is softened. Add the sugars, and mix on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the peanut butter, and mix to combine. Turn the motor off and add the oat mixture and the flour. Turn the mixer to low speed and mix for another minute until the ingredients are incorporated and the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and comes together into a ball.

Using your hands, roll the dough into two-inch balls. Place the balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, 21/2 inches apart. Using the heel of your hand, flatten the balls into 2-1/2-3-inch discs. With a fork, mark diagonal crisscross patterns over the surface of each cookie. Chill for about 15 minutes, until firm.

Adjust the oven racks to the lower and middle positions and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Bake cookies for about 18 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned and slightly firm to the touch, rotating the baking sheets halfway through. Allow them to cool before removing from baking sheet.

From Nancy Silverton's Sandwich Book (Alfred A. Knopf, 2002).

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ALMOST OREOS

(Makes 4 dozen cookies)

3 tablespoons cocoa nibs

11/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons light-brown sugar, lightly packed

1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

5 tablespoons black, super-alkalized cocoa powder

3 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and kept warm

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

13/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, grind the cocoa nibs to a coarse consistency, slightly larger than grains of rice.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, baking soda, salt and cocoa nibs on low speed for 2-3 minutes, until softened. Turn mixer off, and add the sugars and cocoa powders. Turn mixer up to medium speed, and mix another 2 minutes, until mixture is light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the melted chocolate and vanilla extract and mix for another minute. Turn mixer off, and add the flour. Mix on low just to combine. Adjust the oven racks to the lower and middle positions and set the oven at 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

Roll dough out between 2 sheets of parchment paper to 1/8-inch thickness. Transfer to a baking sheet and chill 5 minutes to remove paper. Using a round fluted cookie cutter, cut out cookies. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes in preheated oven until crisp, rotating the baking sheets halfway through baking.

Adapted from Nancy Silverton's Sandwich Book (Alfred A. Knopf, 2002).

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PIZZELLE CONES OR WAFERS

(Makes 6 regular cones)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg or cinnamon (optional)

2 egg whites

1/2 cup sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and spices, if desired. Stir to mix and set aside. In another large bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the sugar until stiff, glossy peaks form. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of the melted butter and vanilla, if using. Fold the egg whites into the flour mixture. Place the remaining butter in a container with a pour spout.

Heat a pizzelle iron according to manufacturer's instructions and brush it with a light coat of the remaining melted butter. Pour a small amount of batter in center of each pizzelle stamp, close, and cook for 30 to 45 seconds, until golden brown.

From Gelato! by Pamela Sheldon Johns (Ten Speed Press, 2000).

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ITALIAN SODA

(Makes 1 serving)

2 to 3 tablespoons Italian syrup such as Monin or Torani

Crushed ice

8 ounces sparkling water

Pour syrup over ice. Add sparkling water.

For a creamier drink, combine 1/4 cup milk or 1 tablespoon half & half and the syrup before pouring it over the ice.

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Verjus is a non-fermented drink made from the juice of unripe grapes. It is available pre-made online, in some in specialty food stores, and directly from certain producers.

RASPBERRY VERJUS

(Makes 1 serving)

1/4 to 1/2 cup raspberries

1 to 2 teaspoons sugar (optional)

1/2 cup chilled verjus

1/2 cup chilled sparkling water

Crushed ice

Sprinkle raspberries with sugar. Add verjus and sparkling water, stir, and let sit for a few minutes before drinking. Add ice as desired.

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This festive drink reminds me of my childhood when, every Hanukkah, I was allowed to have vanilla ice cream drowned in hot coffee. I still remember my grandpa stirring the two together with an impish grin on his face. I was 5.

AFFOGATO

(Makes 1 serving)

1 generous scoop vanilla, stracciatella, chestnut or hazelnut gelato

1 to 2 teaspoons finely chopped dark chocolate

1/2 cup freshly brewed espresso, or more if desired

Fresh whipped cream

Place a scoop of gelato in a dessert bowl or coffee cup. Spoon over it the chocolate, espresso and, if desired, add a dollop of freshly whipped cream.