PBIBS17: Crew samples gelato around the globe

Mar 23, 2017 by Dorie Cox

By Dorie Cox

Most people visit museums and landmarks during their travels around the world. Deck/Mate Toni Jones samples gelato, the Italian version of ice cream.

“I’ve done a gelato price index of the world,” Jones said while hanging a brokerage sign on the passerelle of M/Y Safira with First Mate Zachary Gallagher in preparation for the Palm Beach International Boat Show today.

Gelato has more milk and less cream and eggs than regular ice cream. And in a little more than a year, Jones has tasted it in 26 countries.

“Albania is the cheapest at eight cents a scoop,” she said. “The most expensive is probably in Italy.”

Deck/Mate Toni Jones

Jones left California more than a year ago after working on a yacht trip to the Bahamas and daywork during the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. Then she flew back to California and on to her first stop in Thailand.

Capt. Kent Kohlberger traveled a lot during his life and said he recognized a kindred spirit in Jones. He met her when she was a mate on a yacht in the Connecticut area and he saw that she was a great worker. She told him about her travel plans and he followed her adventures on Facebook.

“She said if a position opens to give her a call,” Capt. Kohlberger said. “She recently flew back from New Zealand to work with us. She has a captain’s license but our program works great for her.”

People like Jones who travel work out great on yachts, Capt. Kohlberger said.

“They’ve learned to work hard and work through adversity,” he said. “Her birthday was Monday and we only made her work 10 hours.”

Capt. Kohlberger, originally from Canada, said he loved his early days traveling and he often worked while in India, Australia, England and more.

And he also likes gelato.
“We once drove 40 miles to a friend’s gelato place in Oakville [in Canada],” Capt. Kohlberger said. “It was expensive for a little cup.”

But it was good, and pistachio is his favorite.

Surprisingly, there are no regional or strange flavors in the gelato menu, Jones said. She found that the flavors are traditional throughout Southeast Asia, as well as in Turkey, Morocco, the Balkans, Bosnia, Kosovo and New Zealand. She likes them all, but does have a routine.

“Lemon is my favorite,” she said. “But it’s strawberry in the afternoon, and chocolate or hazelnut in the evening.”

Jones grew up in Sandpoint, Idaho, where her water experience was paddling a canoe on the lake in the northern part of the state. Her family didn’t eat a lot of sugar, but she learned to love the chilly treat.

“There was a guy in my hometown who sold gelato,” Jones said. He imported an authentic machine, as well as all the ingredients. “It was the good stuff.”

So far Jones has visited more than 40 countries. She revisits her favorites, including five visits to Paris and even more to Spain. On her next break in yachting, Jones said she plans to revisit Mexico.

“There is so much more to see,” she said.

And aside from the beautiful sites, Jones has a plan.

“I’ve never been to Central or South America,” she said. “And Argentina is known for gelato.”

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About Dorie Cox

Dorie Cox is a writer with Triton News.

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