Evocative Cuisine at Luna Rosa Gelato Café

Everyone has a comfort food, and I'm willing to wager that more often than not, it's a favorite dish that was served at home, on special occasions. It was for me anyway. Mia famiglia Italiana was well-versed in the art of abbondanza for everyday, but birthdays, christenings, and engagement parties – the type of celebration that did not warrant a change of venue but was still a big deal – called for a major shift in kitchen production. These were times when enormous chafing dishes of labor-intensive lasagnas, meatballs, and sausage and peppers were set atop blue-flamed Sterno warmers to satisfy the grazing habits of a multitude of guests.

Those dishes were crowd-pleasers, and though I know how to make each one of them quite well, it is always a pleasure to eat that which I have not slaved hours to create. Finding a decent lasagna or meatball and spaghetti is not difficult in Greenville. Sausage and peppers on the other hand, not so easy. Then I went to Luna Rosa.

I was ostensibly there for the gelato. Dense and velvety, gelato is quintessentially Italian, developed in 16th-century Florence when designer and artist Bernardo Buontalenti built an ice cave in one of the Medici's palaces to dish up a new dessert for their sumptuous banquets.

Gelato is lower in fat and kept at a warmer temperature than regular ice cream, so the result is pure, unadulterated intensity. Luna Rosa serves up at least a dozen varieties of gelato, ranging from the traditional Nutella and stracciatella to the American-influenced "birthday cake." For those who prefer an even lighter treat, the fruit sorbettos, such as pink grapefruit, pack a punch of flavor without the guilt of cream.

While I puzzled over the choices, their genial server, Rick, was making his way among the outdoor tables, offering diners small samples of the lunchtime special. It was my lucky day. One slick, savory bite stuffed with the unmatched goodness of sautéed peppers, onions, tomatoes, and spicy Italian sausage brought back a carousel of memories of those laughter-filled family revels. I ordered the panini straightaway.

After devouring the last crumb (and sopping up the dregs of balsamic dressing from the side salad), it was time to turn a thoughtful eye back to the sweets. Arancia, made with Sicilian blood oranges, was the perfect citrusy end to a meal worthy of Proust and his madeleines.

Each dish is made by hand with love in the kitchen of Luna Rosa and served with pride. Owned by expat New Yorkers Linda and Rich Schweitzer and managed by their adult children, Laura and Jose Ortiz, the cafe is open daily for lunch between 11am-3pm and then late for gelato service.