Gelato al fior di latte might look sort of like off-brand vanilla ice cream(wedding white, with no bean flecks in sight), but don’t be fooled: It’s not vanilla at all. Rather, imagine the flavor of the milkiest-milk imaginable, with a floral nuance that’ll make you swear there’s something else to it. And while it may not scream out to you from among the stracciatella or amarena, once you’ve tasted gelato al fior di latte, you’re in on the secret.

Taken on its own, the phrase “fior di latte” translates to “flower of milk” and refers to cow’s milk mozzarella. But when applied to the world of dessert (which, in my book, reigns a smidge supreme over the world of cheese), the phrase points to gelato that’s typically made from only dairy, sugar, and starch (incorporate yolks and you’ve got the richer, eggier “crema”).