Master of extraordinary ice creams

Last week, I was at the Olive Oil Tasting Festival in Edremit, where we sampled various olive oils and even tried goat milk olive oil ice cream made by the Italian "ice cream philosopher," Marco Radicioni. Marco is a hero who is carrying gastronomy forward.

As soon as we got off the plane, everyone headed to their rooms to rest, but Elvan and Marco hurried off to a goat farm they had found while still in Italy. They had just arrived from Rome that day and had only gotten a few hours of sleep. About four or five hours later, they returned to where we were dining, carrying a jerry can of freshly milked goat's milk. This was also the place where they would make ice cream. They looked tired but were thrilled, especially Marco, who appreciated the quality of the milk. We were all even more excited and curious about the extra virgin olive oil ice cream we would try the next day.

Elvan claims that Marco Radicioni is among the top three ice cream makers in Italy. Elvan Uysal Bottoni, who facilitated our introduction, is a gastronomy writer and sensory analyst based in Italy. She possesses one of the most refined palates I've ever encountered, and her ability to articulate the sensory qualities of food is both detailed and delightful. When Ahmet Çetin, the President of the Edremit Chamber of Commerce and a longtime friend, called to inform me about the Olive Oil Tasting Festival they were organizing, I immediately thought of Elvan. She is a taster for Gambero Rosso, Italy's most reputable gastronomy guide, and is also an accredited expert in olive oil tasting.

These days, it feels like festivals are everywhere, with the same people and topics repeating, regardless of the event's name. I'm really tired of these "entertainments," which seem like a waste...