When I first traveled to Italy in the 1970s, everything was seasonal — it wasn’t a choice, it’s just how it was. Supermarkets didn’t exist, grocery stores were tiny, and although there were the beginnings of industrialized food, the old ways were still part of daily life. Ice cream was so seasonal that many gelaterie just closed down after the hordes of idling summertime families went back to work and school.

But there were always a few outliers that insisted on remaining open, perhaps with limited days and hours and — to an American — wacky offerings, like porcini, chestnut, celery or quince gelati or sorbetti. And, yes, pumpkin, which is common now but not then.