"Cortes Gigantes" in Navellos street - Traditional ice cream in Valencia

This is probably, the coolest article I've written here so far. 

This is about what might be considered the most traditional ice cream shop in Valencia. 

How do I know of this shop? Well, according to my mom, when she was younger and allowed to eat whatever she wanted, my grandma used to absolutely love the ice creams here.

Just about a week ago, I was passing close by, I entered and I ordered a chocolate ice cream. I was eating the cone of gelato, and I was certain that it's exactly the kind of flavor my grandma would have absolutely loved. Basic (classic) but very well captured. Fulfilling and sweet but not overly so. I can honestly say it was the most emotionally fulfilling ice cream I've had, this year for sure, and in a long while. 

They are famous for their "cortes gigantes"  which I can only describe us two slices of wafer with a lot of ice cream inside. 

So, the same girl that served me my delicious chocolate ice cream the other day, was in the shop today. And she was very very kind and let me ask her a few questions about the shop. I wasn't recording, I was only taking notes so I really hope I'm doing her words justice. 

She told me that she's not the current owner of the shop, that the current owner is on leave, but she's friends with some of the owner's family and they chose her as they were looking for somebody they could trust. 

She told me the shop has been open since 1970. The owner has changed twice at least. But they kept their famous giant ice cream in between wafers to keep the tradition associated with the shop. 

I asked her what she loved the most about working there. She told me it's the stories. That they're always more or less the same but always slightly different. Like "my family used to buy ice cream here when we went towards Central market". Or "we bought ice cream here when we went towards the main Virgin Mary church" (just a couple steps away). She said she loves that people tell her that their grandparents came here, they used to come here with their parents and now they bring their kids.

She honestly seemed quite enthusiastic about the whole thing. I honestly hope that tradition never dies. I did not order their giant ice cream because I wasn't that hungry either of the times. But I was really happy to see it written on the door. I definitely made me think of my grandma. 

So this article is for the kind girl who helped me write it, giving me the information, being so helpful. For all the people who find solace and comfort in going to the shop that their family has been going for generations. And for my grandma, who has always loved food, and who I have never seen eating one of those ice creams, but I can picture her face and I know she loved them like crazy.

... Oh, I almost forgot! This is the shop, if you want to find it. I definitely recommend you visit (and taste) this fun bit of Valencian tradition.