There is no proper Summer without grattachecca, a glass full of crushed ice and fresh fruit drowned in syrup.
Unlike the granita, it mainly consists of ice, scraped from a block with an appropriate iron tool.
This delicacy, thought to have origins in Abruzzo, appeared at first in the Roman kiosks in Trastevere in the last century. At the time, it was considered the cheapest version of the classic promenade ice cream, intended for bourgeois consumers.
Some say that the term grattachecca derives from a certain Francesca, nicknamed Checca, who, in ancient times, sold ice shards scratched (grattati) from the block.
The ancestor of the grattacheccaro was actually the neviero. He transported blocks of ice from the mountains on the back of a donkey and then on a cart, covered them with a thick layer of insulating straw, and delivered them to the citizens, who could preserve food and prepare ice creams and sorbets.
There are many kiosks selling this dessert, almost in every district; some are open all year round, others only in summer. The oldest one has been standing in Città del Vaticano since 1933.
The kiosk in via Magna Grecia shows the writing in dialect “La mejo grattachecca de Roma”. Here, the most requested flavour is certainly sour cherry, with coconut flakes and black cherry syrup on top. The lemon flavoured variant is prepared with fresh lemon squash.
For the authentic inhabitants of the Roman District Testaccio, Lemoncocco, with lemon and coconut juice, is the best. Tasty chopped lime peels can be added.
In Trastevere, the gratichecca, as it is called, has been produced for four generations. It is said that even Leonardo Di Caprio stopped by here undercover! Among the illustrious people who have tasted the Roman grattachecca stands out Michelle Obama, who appreciated it on the Tiber Island.
We advise you to avoid syrup if you are watching your weight, and to eat your grattachecca quickly, or it will turn into hot fruit juice.
Happy Roman Holiday!