It was a very wise and lactose-tolerant man who said, "Without ice cream, there would be darkness and chaos."

Yet another reason why the Hamptons in summer is a playground of shiny, happy people. Whether it's following the tinny melody of the ice-cream truck at the beach, picking up a quart for dessert and a great night in, or taking the family out for cones in the village on a balmy evening, just to stroll and nibble and watch the passing parade, there's a lot of cold comfort to be sought in this town.

With a selection of ice-cream establishments as varied and colorful as the freezer counters themselves, you can indulge in an assortment of traditional Italian gelati (like gourmet ice-cream, gelato generally has less than 35 percent air, which creates a denser, more flavourful product with an almost matte-like texture to the creaminess), fruity and light sorbetti (a dairy-free, more refreshing option), or the rich dairy ice-creams of our childhood (made with cream, sugar, eggs and flavoring, the texture is smoother and more buttery). Or why not stay in and make some delicious semifreddo (see recipe over)? Ice-cream for adults, Italian semifreddo refers to semi-frozen desserts that have the texture of frozen mousse but don't require an ice-cream machine to prepare. The word means half cold in Italian, and packing all the flavor of gelati but a lot lighter, semifreddo is the perfect summer indulgence. La Dolce Vita, indeed.

Chocolate and hazelnut semifreddo Serves 8 Ingredients 2/3 cup espresso coffee ½ cup Amaretto liqueur ¾ cup superfine sugar 5 eggs 1 ½ cups milk 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped ½ pound dark chocolate (57% cocoa solids), finely chopped ½ cup cream (thin, for pouring) 1/3 pound hazelnuts, roasted, peeled and coarsely chopped 1. Combine coffee, liqueur and ½ cup sugar in a saucepan and bring to the boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Let cool, then refrigerate syrup. 2. Whisk eggs and remaining sugar in a heatproof bowl until pale. Meanwhile, combine milk and vanilla bean and seeds in a small saucepan. Bring just to the boil over high heat, then pour over egg mixture, whisking continuously until combined. Place bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, whisking over medium heat until thick (3-4 minutes). Remove and place over a bowl of iced water to cool. 3. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Cool, then whisk into egg mixture. Set aside. 4. In a separate bowl, whisk cream until soft peaks form, then gently fold into chocolate mixture. Fold through hazelnuts and pour into a greased, baking paper-lined 23cm x 8cm x 8cm loaf pan. Cover with cling wrap and freeze until firm (4 hours or overnight). Serve sliced.

Sant Ambroeus 30 Main Street, Southampton; 631-283-1233 The glass-fronted gelato cabinet that welcomes you upon entering Southampton's chic Milanese eatery provides the most heavenly window-shopping in the Hamptons. Illuminated, technicolor tubs of house-made gelati seductively beckon you over-even if you're only in the market for an espresso-to gaze with wonder and lust upon their chilly charms. An impressive range includes the traditional cream-based flavors of zabaglione, pistachio, hazelnut, croccantino and coffee, as well as fruity sorbetti made from fresh mango, lemon, watermelon and blood orange, just to name a few. If you feel like a sweet escape that is a little more grown-up-or simply can't push through the rug-rats lining the glass-slip through to the back formal-dining section, more supper club than pasticceria, and indulge in taglio al limone (lemon sorbet with prosecco), coppa paciugo (pear gelato with Pear William liqueur) or coffee gelato with hot espresso. Whoever said ice-cream had to be good clean fun? Candy Kitchen Cnr. Main and School streets, Bridgehampton; 631-537-9885 If modern ice-cream bars are a little shiny and new for your tastes, step back in time at the delightfully old-fashioned Candy Kitchen, which has been humbly dishing up homemade ice-cream and all-American fare in Bridgehampton village since the 1920s. The signage may have faded but the charm certainly hasn't: Sitting pretty on a busy corner this white-decked diner has a formica lunch counter, candy-striped canopies, neon signs, and a burnished-silver soda fountain. For something old-school and cold, you can pick from signature milk shakes and topped sundaes in glass dishes, but best of all is their homemade ice-cream selection. Made fresh on the premises from high-quality milk and fresh seasonal fruits, their destination ice-cream options (fresh peach, blueberry, or banana, orange sherbet and coconut, just for starters) can be purchased by cone or take-home pint and gallon sizes. Expect to chill alongside school kids, first-daters, surfers and celebrities.

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