While ice cream may be a summer standard, gelato is really the hot topic of the season and gaining in popularity every day. The problem is that it can be hard to find a good gelateria. The solution is to have it shipped from an artisan producer, like Capogiro Gelato. The family-run, Philadelphia-based company produces very small (1-3 gallon) batches of their creamy gelatos each day and offer a total of more than 250 flavors that vary seasonally. They use local ingredients, including hand-picked produce and milk from grass-fed Pennsylvania cows, to ensure the highest quality product possible.

The best bet for a gelato fan is to order their Gelato for All Seasons ($240) package, which includes shipments of 6-pints of the best seasonal, four times each year. Flavors include winter specialties like Persimmon Sorbetto, spring's Honeysuckle Gelato, Blackberry and Blueberry with Thyme in summer and Sweet Potato with Pecan Praline and Pomegranate in fall.

The Serse Freddo Glasses from Illy were designed by Italian artist Serse Roma, inspired by the waves of the Adriatic Sea. Illy generally concentrates on hot espresso cups, these silver-etched crystal glasses are made for cold drinks. Use them to serve espresso over ice or, for the ultimate coffee indulgence, make an affogato by putting a small scoop of ice cream or gelato in the base of the cup and topping it with a shot of hot espresso. The glasses come in sets of two, packaged in a gift box, with a can of Illy espresso. Price: $60.

Once you have silver containers for serving your ice cream, it is a good idea to get something other than the standard supermarket fare to serve in them. Laloo's Goat Milk Ice Cream is low fat, low in lactose, has no artificial ingredients and contains only fruits and flavorings that are locally produced in Sonoma County, California. The advantage to goat's milk is that it is naturally lower in fat that cow's milk, so the ice cream will still taste rich, and not "watered down"; reviews say that it mimics the taste and mouthfeel of ultra-premium cow's milk ice creams, like Haagen Dazs. Flavors include Vanilla Snowflake, Black Mission Fig, Deep Chocolate, Strawberry Darling, Molasses Tipsycake, Lemon Chiffon, Pumpkin Spice and the seasonal Chocolate Cabernet. Orders are a minimum of 4 pints at $8/pint, excluding shipping costs (it is also sold at some Whole Food's markets). The ice cream must be shipped overnight and will be packaged with dry ice to keep it ready to eat.

The little paper cartons that ice cream is packaged in are not terribly attractive, especially if you intend to include ice cream as part of your dessert when company is around or during a party. Since few things are more refreshing than a sorbet on a summer evening, to create an elegant presentation, most people resort to individually plating their ice cream desserts. You can slip the full cartons into one of these elegant silver-plated ice cream containers, however, and serve away. The container measures only 4" tall, but it will still make an impression at the table. Price: $95.