By Andy Furman
NKyTribune reporter
Perhaps it was a calling.
Maybe an inspiration.
What it was — a 9,548-mile journey from Covington to Italy.
Joe Jones and his then 70-year-old father made the trek in 2018.
“My dad is Roman Catholic,” said the 42-year-old son, “it was a real religious pilgrimage.”
Young Joe said they hiked into the rural parts of the country.
“The agricultural parts. We walked to the olive fields and wineries.”
And besides the beautiful scenery, Joe discovered gelato.
“I had it when I was younger. I back-packed through Europe, but I wasn’t really into it then.”
That was then – now Joe Jones was enjoying the gelato three-times-a-day.
He fell in love with the creamy texture, pure intense flavor, and community tradition of gelato.
When he returned home, he started making his own southern Italian-stye gelato.
Joe – and wife Vanessa – made countless batches of gelato base in their Covington kitchen – experimenting with flavor both traditional and contemporary.
It wasn’t this easy.
Joe was born in Covington, attended Lloyd Memorial High School and is a graduate of Thomas More (then) College with a B.A. in history.
He worked in the restaurant business some 20 years before he started the Golden Gelato Company (130 W. Pike Street, Covington).
Vanessa worked in retail management and in the restaurant business as well.
And wouldn’t you know it – they met at the El Coyote Restaurant – and were married in 2013.
“I worked nights,” Joe said, “I was tending bar and working in the kitchen at the Greyhound Grill and El Coyote. “Vanessa was working retail, and honestly, we only saw each other about two-to-three hours a day.”
Golden Gelato was born January 20, 2021 – right in the heart of the pandemic.
“We realized our business was adaptable. Our product was an eat and go. We didn’t need indoor dining.”
But why gelato?
“We have an ice cream culture here in Cincinnati,” he said. “Gelato is a premium product compared to ice cream. And people in Covington,” he added, “want the best premium product.”
Gelato, Joe explained, is made with less air, and is churned slower than ice cream. “With less air,” he said, “it makes for a more favorable product.”
He says he uses milk instead of cream. “It’s less fat,” he said, “which means more flavor. Fat blocks the taste buds.”
Joe and Vanessa make their product fresh daily.
“We store it warmer than ice cream,” he said. “Ice cream is stored at zero or below. Gelato is about six to ten degrees. The colder it is,” he adds, “blocks the tongue from detecting flavor.”
The Golden Gelato has rotating flavors – and Joe adds they have seasonal specials as well.
Some of our “heavy hitters” are Assorted Vegan Fruit Sorbets, Biscoff, Blueberry Mascarpone, Bourbon Old Fashion, Dark Chocolate Sorbet (V), Fior di Latte, Gianduja, Hokey Pokey, Lemon Cookie, Whole Bean Vanilla, Pistachio, Salted Caramel, Stracciatella, Tiramisu, and White Coffee.
“The response has been great,” Joe said, “and the people here in Covington have been very supportive. In fact, I’ve seen many repeat customers. People are always looking to see the new seasonal flavors.”
The trek to Italy Joe Jones made with his dad has had a major impact on his life.
“I think of that trip every time I scoop gelato,” he said.
Golden Gelato, 130 W. Pike Steet, is open 11-9 Tuesday through Thursday, 11-10 Friday and Saturday, and closed Sunday.