Talenti - Coconut Almond Chocolate

Coconut Almond Chocolate - Coconut Gelato with Chocolate Flakes and Roasted Almonds

Today's review is for a pint of Talenti gelato.  I just realized that I never did a brand history for Talenti.   It was founded in 2003 in Dallas, Texas by Josh Hochschuler.  Hochschuler had spent the previous several years in Buenos Aires, Argentina and developed an appreciation for the gelato which was served there.  He named it "Talenti" after Bernardo Buontalenti, the Baroque Italian architect who is credited with inventing gelato.   The business shifted to packaged pints in 2005 and took off from there.  They brand is now so far-reaching that even small grocery stores will have a decent selection of Talenti pints.  The flavor for today is Coconut Almond Chocolate.

Unscrewing the lid shows that the coconut base has the expected white color.  There are hints of chocolate that lie underneath.  The first spoonful is thicker than I expected.  Gelato has a reputation for being lighter but it can be just as thick.  It is just that the spoon slices through it a little easier.  The coconut flavor is quite strong.  It almost seemed like I was eating shredded coconut it was that strong.  Somehow it did not become overpowering as I continued eating, though, which is good.  The chocolate pieces of the flake variety and provide the expected chocolate flavor.  For the second review in a row, I am pleasantly surprised by the tastiness of the almond mix-ins.  This pint was essentially a gelato-implementation of an Almond Joy bar and it did not disappoint.

I did enjoy this pint more than I expected.  Scanning the review database, it looks like I've done this flavor combination before with McConnell's Toasted Coconut Almond Chip.   Personally, I liked the McConnell's a bit better but I think it was because that coconut was toasted.