Forbes blogger serves up praise for Morano Gelato
Hanover might not have the best Venetian glass or Italian silk shops in the country (or any at all), but the quaint college town does have “the best gelato in America” at the recently opened Morano Gelato, according to Forbes blogger Larry Olmsted.
The self-declared “gelato freak” discovered the Main Street gelateria by chance, he wrote on his blog, saying he has been disappointed by American offerings of the Italian dessert in his travels around the country. Even the Upper West Side’s Grom, a gelato shop hyped by The New York Times, did not suit his fancy, he said.
Morgan Morano, the young entrepreneur and chef behind the gelateria, disagreed with Olmsted, saying her gelato is “not necessarily the best” and that she is “constantly experimenting” with the product.
“I feel I have a lot of room to grow and improve,” she said, in spite of Olmsted’s insistence that she has perfected the Italian indulgence.
She and Olmsted do agree on one point, however: “Unfortunately in America, a lot of people are ruining gelato,” she said. “They don’t really care —they’re just trying to profit.”
Olmsted’s article has been “great exposure” for the business, Morano said. But on the other hand, she is now “nervous” because her establishment is open to food critics on a national level, she said.
Morano received her formal culinary training in New York City and Florence, but also gained valuable experience working in her father’s restaurant in Long Island, she said.
Morano makes the gelato fresh each morning is produced in the Sicilian tradition, which means the base is “primarily water, so it’s even healthier for you,” Morano said, adding that “essentially, it’s the healthiest version of gelato you can possibly find.”
The best in America and also a guilt-free treat: this is certainly a rare find!
Although it might seem a bit obscure that Morano chose to set up shop in the Upper Valley, her family has a connection to Hanover and to Dartmouth, she said. Her mother, Lyn Morano Lord ’95 MALS ’98, currently teaches at Kimball Union Academy in Meriden, N.H., and Morgan Morano herself lived in the town for five years, she said.
“Setting up my business here was more a personal choice, as well as for the business, because I was tired of New York City,” Morano said. “There was also a void of international foods [in Hanover], and I thought a gelato restaurant would work well up here.”
Morano described the venture as “completely her own business,” though she received some help from her family.
“It’s not really a family business, but I love having my family around,” Morano said in an interview with The Dartmouth. “My brother’s my manager until August, and I also have my little sister helping me.”
Jordan and Ali Morano, the entrepreneur’s brother and sister, are frequent presences at Morano Gelato.
Morano’s culinary aspirations saw their humble beginnings at the weekly farmer’s market, she said. Prior to owning her own business, Morano offered two flavors each week at the market to “introduce the product,” she said.
While her gelato has been consistently well-received by her customers, she was “very surprised” about the Forbes blog post, she said.
“To be honest, I’m a very low-key person,” Morano said. “I chose a career in kitchens because I like to be behind the scenes.”