Tour Del Gelato

This is a challenge launched by a bloger

We copy her url to our blog and send her a link with info on our favorite gelati parlour in the world. The goal is to determine which gelati maker is actually the best. Im not yet sure who gets to vote..

My point is i propose to offer a comlptely different `candidate`. This one made history and has the papers to prove it!

I lived in Rome, Italy and traveled all around the country for a year. I also live in the US currently. It is said these two countries, even because of their close affiliation, make and made the best gelati in thw world..

Regardless, the best gelati house ever to exist is in Portugal, not far away from where I used to live actually.

Thats right! Funny as it might sound, sometimes things are not as they seem..

I used the web site biography to copy and translate in a free way to illustrate some of the most important moments in this Gelati making Dinasty, who ended up in my home country by chance of destiny. This way I hope to enhance its name by showing enough material to faithfully display the historic moments that made this parlour what I say it is.

“CASA SANTINI“

Loja de S. João do Estoril

Rua Nova da Estação,

n.º 52765 S. João do Estoril

Loja de Cascais

Av. Valbom,

28 F2750 Cascais

Attilio Santini Mosena, born in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Udine, son of Arcangelo Santini and Maria Mosena. His ancestors originally from the Dolomites,  north of Venice. Gelato factoring tradition in the family starts with his Great-great Grandfather, who owned a gelato parlour in Viena of Austria with brevetto issued by the imperial house, given buy the Emperor Francis Joseph. His father too, in Italy, will be awarded a brevetto from king Vittorio Emanuelle.

1917/18 Attilio leaves Italy with his father and in 1922 settles in Metz, France wher he meets one of the Romanov (Russian Imperial family) members.
In 1937returns to Italy working at the Sommariva Gellataria in Milano.
in 1938 opens a Gellataria in S. Sebastian, Spain.
in  1940 moves to Barcelona, calle Vergara, opening Gellataria Capri, which will shut down over the competition with Frigo.

 

Letter of Recommendation from Gelatti Sommariva of Milano, where Attilio Santini worked in 1937

 

Detail of one of his guest books.

In 1944 Santini moves to Valencia, opening Café Santpol, where he will meet his wife Isabel Catalan Saez. He will also meet the Portuguese Consul João Moraes, who will challenge Santini to relocate to Portugal .

Attilio Santini in the 1940’s, picture taken in Valência.

Social card of the Portuguese consul daughter,  who invited Santini to relocate to Portugal.

Letter of Recommendation from the Milk Industry of Valencia, dated from 1946.

Libretto of the Concerto performed by the Symphonic Orchestra of Madrid, in December 1948 at the Coliseu dos Recreios in Lisbon, under the direction of Maestro Pierino Gamba, with special dedication to Santini August 26 1949, Santini moves to Praia do Tamariz in Estoril, with Gelataria Santini, giving away all gelatti at inauguration. Family Santini lived upstairs from the parlour, making their home available during several occasions to serve as dressing room to the Royal Family members who at the time would come to the beach.

Innaugural day log book; Casa Santini at Tamariz, Estoril

Mrs and Mr. Santini in 1950 at their parlour in Tamariz

Italian newspaper clip reporting about Princess Maria Gabriela de Saboia  at Gelataria do Tamariz,  in company of the Santini’s daughter

Holiday Card in retribution to Santini’s, dated January 2nd 1951,  from king Umberto II de Itália, with an illustration of the Temple of Diana in Évora on the cover.

Cover of the italian Magazine Época, with the PrincessMaria Beatriz de Saboia picture eating a gelato  at Gelataria Santini

1955, February, 12

Caters the gelatti to the

wedding party of Princess

Maria Pia de Saboia, taking

place at Hotel Palácio

Thank you note from the Princess Maria Pia  de Saboia and Alexandre of Yugoslavia, with an allusive medal

Greeting Card from Umberto II de Itália, de 1957, with a picture of his seasonal house in Cascais Vila Itália

Princess Maria Gabriela de Saboiawith Isabel Saez at the  Gelataria

Greeting Card from 12/27/1961 sent byApostolic Nuncio in Lisboa to the Santini Family

Santini’s with King of Spain Juan Carlos who they dearly called Juanito

 

Casal Santini at the wedding of Infanta Pilar de Borbón in Hotel Estoril Sol

Santini Menu July 21st 1964 served at Vila Itália,  seasonal residency of the royal family of Italy

King Juan Carlos, Reyna Sofia Infanta Margarida,  Gelataria at Av. Valbom,  Cascais (rellocated 09/08/1971)

Santini with the Brevetto awarded by Umberto II de Itália 12/31/1972 as the caterer of the Royal House of Italy

King Umberto II de Itália  and his daugher Maria Pia with Isabel Saez, in gelataria at Av.Valbom, Cascais

Attilio is offered medal of meritby thecity council of Cascais. June 7th 1994

Sketch of a Biography. Attilio dies 08/03/1995 at 88.

 

Condolences from the Dukes of Soria

Santini Fuertes current owners