I love ice cream. I’ve always loved it. From blocks of yellow vanilla sandwiched between two wafers and the wax paper-wrapped cylinders they doled out at school, through the Dayvilles days with my father — stopping off on the Finchley Road for a scoop on our Saturdays out. The 30 flavours were wasted on me — I only ever picked two or three. He always went for Rocky Road but I couldn’t tell you what my choice was — pralines and cream, I think. Although I did love the sherberts from Baskin Robbins too.

There is so much to choose from now. London is awash with gelato stores. And my freezer is always stuffed with tubs of ice cream; frozen yoghurt and various reduced sugar versions like Oppo’s mint choc flavour (a huge favourite) so I can indulge with less guilt.

Anyway, when I was asked to go along to a gelato festival and taste 18 (yes EIGHTEEN) different flavours and choose my favourite, I’d accepted before you could say Mr Whippy — perish the thought!

Apparently, Gelato Festival travels across Italy, Europe, the US and Japan in large food trucks in search of the world's best gelato. It was founded in 2010 in Florence, by Tuscan entrepreneur, Gabriele Poli. Originally only in Florence, it has grown over the years, around Europe and jumping oceans to reach eager ice cream eaters like me and my children.  

The day of the festival was optimum ice cream weather. Warm, dry but not sweltering enough to put us off travelling to Canopy Market in Kings Cross where the fun was taking place.

When we arrived we were slightly daunted by the sight of the two trailers, back to back, with 9 serving windows each side. Lines of people snaked away from each serving hatch. With the tiny taster cones being pretty easy to fill, the wait wasn’t overly painful, and we each managed a pretty good tally of tasting before flavour fatigue set in.

On offer were a range of recipes, from refreshing fruity flavours like Mango Alfonso – a tropical punch of mango and chilli with a spritz of lemon (from Dezato London) and Lemon and basil (from Roberto Authentic Italian Gelato of York; More creamy treats, like Brittle with chocolate and sour cherries (from Snowflake, London) and Il cremino — a hazelnut cream dream; and a few twists on traditional desserts, like Tiramisu de Nonno (from Nonno Lillo in Rome); panacotta, poached pears and strawberries with balsamic vinegar (from Cow and the moon in Sydney) and (one of my favourites) almond lemon poppy seed cake (from Twist Dessert Lounge in North Harrow).

Hats off to those who tasted each and every variety. We were beaten by time, the unfortunate combination of lengthy queues and two under-10’s and the sugar overload. Maybe without our two junior companions we may have made it to the finishing line, but I maxed out at 10.

My favourite? A mint and lemon ice with lime swirl – zesty and refreshingly zingy from a British entry — Baci & Co of Louth.

When it comes around again don’t think twice. Get there early and make sure nothing and no one holds you back! I’ll see you in the queues.