Why do so many memories revolve around food? My memories of summer as a child are punctuated by the sweet treats that we occasionally got to enjoy. Cold treats, because summer in Texas (before central air conditioning) was sweltering hot. It still is, but air conditioning makes it more bearable.
The sweetest music of summer when I was a child was not the sounds of birds, frogs, and cicadas singing their love songs in the evening, but the sound of our own personal “Pied Piper.” The Ice Cream Man! When he drove down our street, with that jangling music playing loudly in his truck, children swarmed out of their houses like fire ants out of a hill.
The neighborhood urchins rushed to the street and surrounded him. We danced barefoot on the hot asphalt holding out our nickels, dimes, and quarters so that we could get a cherry Popsicle. If we were lucky, we had enough money to buy a “Nutty Buddy.” These days that’s a name for a jock strap, but back then, it was a vanilla ice cream cone dipped in chocolate and nuts.
I haven’t heard an ice cream truck driving through the neighborhood in years. Maybe it’s because houses are too far apart. Perhaps it’s because children won’t leave their television sets and computer games. More likely it’s because folks don’t want a stranger trolling the neighborhood luring their children out to a truck!
As much as we loved the ice cream man, we adored “Mr. Cleo,” the Snow Cone Man! There was a wonderful little hut on main street in Grapevine, Texas where Mr. Cleo could be found. He packed ice into a cup and drizzled it with colorful, sticky syrup. I had a poem in the making about Mr. Cleo’s snowcone stand, which was razed in the name of progress as Grapevine became more “sophisticated.” I won’t regale you with that poem, because it wasn’t stellar. In fact, it was so bad—-can you say, “Like a Hoover?”
I still wanted to talk about snow cone stands without the rhyme, so I went in search of a likely one to photograph. In Denton, this one is the closest I could find to the looks of that old stand (most snow cone stands these days seem to be in portable trailers). I thought it humorous that it’s right next to a liquor store. Doesn’t seem to be doing a booming business, does it?
When I told my friend, Dawn, that I was going to have a snow cone in order to research for this article, she said, “Naww, Shelly, you have to try an Italian Ice.” Huh? Never heard of it. Do y’all have those in your neighborhoods? Dawn rarely steers me wrong, so my husband and I went across town to University Drive to check it out. If it’s food, I have to know about it!
Summer treats have gotten a lot more sophisticated than they were when I was a child! Drew is the owner of this delightful little establishment. He told me that he was originally from New Jersey and came to Texas from New York City. He came here because he had been told that Texas is “hot and dry.” You couldn’t tell that this summer! Though Drew has thirty or more flavors, he can only have a few on hand at a time because of the tiny size of the stand.
The most wonderful thing about New York’s Famous Italian Ice is that he gives samples! Isn’t that what a drug pusher does to get people hooked? Your first “fix” is always free? How insidious! And, what good business acumen. We tried “Mango” and “Orange Cinnamon Swirl.” One little taste is all it took, and we were sold on it. If you haven’t had an Italian Ice, it’s not ice cream. It’s not chunky like a snow cone. It’s more like a sherbet, but not as thick. Maybe it’s a little like a rich, thick Slurpee (if you are familiar with that drink from the 7-11 Store).
YES, you want one! We dug in so fast that I barely got time to take a picture! We got brain freeze. We loved it so much, that we went back the next night and I tried “Mokachino.” I thought I had died and gone to Heaven! Last night, I returned. I just had to have another, now that I’m addicted. Because of the rain, I guess Drew closed up shop early. I curled up in a ball and cried. I had to settle for plain old ice cream.
I have a feeling that my fondness for Italian Ice is going to overshadow my memories of the Ice Cream Man and the Snow Cone Man. I guess I can call Drew my Italian Ice Pusher, but he may not like the label.
So, tell me about your favorite summer treat. Did you have a snow cone man? Or, were you lucky enough to have experienced Italian Ice? If so, what flavor should I seek? I want to try them all, don’t you?
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{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m all for an ice-cream-man ice cream once in a while, because the girls go crazy when they hear the sound. We like to try different varieties of ice creams over the summer months – but I have to say my favorite ice cream of all time is Whitey’s blueberry frozen yogurt in a waffle cone.
You can even order it shipped in dry ice. In the fall, they bring out pumpkin and cinnamon – which Edy’s has also tried to replicate but can’t come close to Whitey’s.
My other favorite summer treat is vanilla frozen yogurt topped with fresh blueberries and/or raspberries. Mmmm.
My favorite was always a “Woodpecker” from the ice cream man, Mr Softee. Soft serve, chocolate and vanilla swirl, formed to look like a woodpecker’s head with two eyes (Smarties) stuck in the top. Ah, with sprinkles.
*sigh*
If anyone is interested in making “Italian Ice” at home, I’ve posted a recipe for coffee granita (you can also do the same basic recipe with lemon, watermelon, etc.).
Remember when Popsicles were a nickel? I love going out for ice cream b/c then I get get the flavors that I love that the rest of the family doesn’t like.
We have had Italian ices up here forever, but I want to try some frozen custard, there was a 13 about it a few weeks ago, I think Pen? But oh my, the flavors look awesome.
Shelly,
Never had an ice-cream truck in my poor neighbourhood when I was a kid. That’s why I used to lick the icicles off the window and close my eyes and imagine a huge popsicle! Every summer I do have a ’soft icecream swirl’ at our closest icecream parlor.
I will have to go to the city to experience Italian Ice. The next time I go,which is next month, I’ll be sure to try one out and let you know.
On today’s post I reminded everyone to go knit a square. I’m very glad to hear you have 9 down already. Do you realize you’ve done this in just one short month???? If it continues like this, you’ll have your wish within the year.
Hi Shelly!
I’ve tried Italian Ice once or twice. The first time it was lemon flavored (that’s all there was and not a fan of the lemon) and I didn’t care for it. The second time I had strawberry and it was delicious! Mango is one of my favorite flavors and I bet that would be divine!!
Other than that, I am a chocolate ice cream kind of gal all the way! I love those triple chocolate ice creams with fudge swirls and chunks, too! MMMMMMMMMMMMM
And yes, we still have the ice cream trucks here complete with too warm freezers and driven by some of the creepiest looking people you’d see outside of local carnivals
The truck will come ding-a-linging along our street and my kids, like Pavlov’s dogs, immediately start asking for cash and running towards the curb. Had I known that type of music was so hypnotic, I would have used it to get them to do the dishes or clean their rooms or something.
After spending $18.00 on 4 melted ice creams I reminded the kids I had a freezer full of ice cream downstairs.
My 16 year old made me laugh when she said “But mom, it isn’t summer until you’ve ran right out into the street towards a big truck that’s playing kindergarten music to get ice cream and candy from the really creepy driver! If we ran with scissors, it would totally be everything you’ve always told us not to do!” LOL
Now I completely understand the attraction to the ice cream truck because truly, the ice cream is terrible. To the kids, it’s like living on the edge or something! LOL
Hope Drew re-opens for you today
That Mokachino sounds pretty good, too!
Jessica
Ok, now I have to try an Italian ice! You bought the same two things from the ice cream man I did, cherry popsicles and Nutty Butty, and I nearly went into depression reading how someone is now desecrating the name Nutty Butty, I may never be able to eat one again. We never have ice cream trucks out here. . . they still had them in our neighborhood when our son was growing up though. And guess, what, Shelly, I RODE in an ice cream truck on a long route in the evening, even after dark, when I was in my early twenties with a boyfriend. You know that sound the kids love of that music, it is not music after HOURS of hearing it! But the magic comes back after years of not hearing it.
Shelly,
Sorry…….there I go assuming again!
I just thought it would be easier for me to send a few bucks than to go out and try to figure out what kind of yarn to buy?? See how I try to get out of work?? Much easier to go to the post office and make a money order.
I really don’t see why we can’t send money….its not like I need a receipt or anything…but if you say No….guess its No! I wonder then if somebody would be good enough to tell me what kind of yarn I should get.
Do I just ask for crochet yarn, does it come in different ply’s? Those who can’t crochet would like to do their part.
I guess I should remove that statement from my post?
I grew up in NY, so I’m no stranger to Italian ice, but I don’t remember such exotic flavors. I always loved the lemon though.
And we’d buy bomb pops from the ice cream man, but I suspect that that name has dropped right out of circulation in these pc days.
Okay Shelly, I corrected myself on my post, asking everyone to send yarn.
We still have the ice cream truck drive by at least once a day. Those chimes that were great as a kid bite as an adult. It cannot get outta here fast enough…
NEW YORK ITALIAN ice after the slice of pizza. I was raised in the Bronx so I know all about it! Chocolate and Coconut were my favorite although back then they sold it in small white cups that they scooped out of big tubs like at the ice cream stores. Delish! Thanks for the memories!
Favorite Texas treat was homemade Texas ice cream. Favorite flavor was peach, but dewberry is a close second. Or vanilla over top of hot blueberry cobbler. Okay now I’m hungry! And homesick! If we couldn’t get ice cream, then ice cold watermelon was a satisfactory substitute. And great fun seeing who could spit the seeds the furtherest! But those ices do look yummy, even if they are a Yankee treat!
I had toffee crumble the other day for the first time in years.
My god, it’s like a taste paradise!
I’ve never had a toffee crumble…but if it tastes like “paradise” I need to try it!~skt
That sounds delicious!
We used to have what is called a cikee-dee ice-cream man. They pedaled little carts of ice-cream around to all the neighborhoods, ringing their bells to get the attention of all of us kids.
I think my favorite was the Drumstick or the Fudgsicle….mmmmmmmm!
Nowadays we don’t have them coming around – it may be for some of the reasons you’ve listed as well in our city these poor grown men trying to make a living pedalilng away were robbed often..sad!
Now when I want an ice cream fix I go to the Milky Way. They are so popular that on a hot day there are line ups around the block. They make different flavors of soft ice cream. I heard recently that they had Nanaimo flavor – too bad I was on my way out of town when I found out. I have to settle for a Revel.
Must be Canadian stuff you are talkin’ bout, cause I have no clue what Nanaimo or Revel is. I imagine that it would be easy to rob an ice cream truck, I’d never thought of that! Could be a good reason for them not to be on the road~skt
Here in Philadelphia, we have a concoction like that but we usually call it “Water Ice”. What a silly name, huh? It’s exactly like the Italian Ice you described.
I’ve also had Italian Ice, and Irish Ice.
The funny thing is I’ve been to Italy plenty of times, but never seen Italian Ice as we know it there. They do have a wonderful drink a lot like a Slurpy (or Ice-y, as we also call it here), which they call Granita.
My favorite Granita was a mint flavored one, although some people say it was like drinking a mouthwash flavored Slurpy.
Thanks for the great post!
‘Brain freeze’ – ah memories. lol!
A favourite story of my mothers is that when I was a toddler, I would demand an icecream everytime the ice-cream van came to our street (mr Gallones as I recall).
When presented with the ice-cream, I would cry and refuse to eat it! After much confusion, my mother worked out that I actually wanted the biscuit cone that the ice cream came in, NOT the ice cream!
Savoury things have always been my nemesis – I know remember why – I started early!
Thanks for the reminder!!
Brain freeze is the pits. And have you ever noticed how, when you get it, and then it passes…you dig right in and eat more?? Did Mr. Gallones have gallons of ice cream? Yes, and the cones are pretty wonderful. When we were kids, we would sneak the box of cones out of the cupboard and eat them like candy.~skt
I always loved when the ice cream man did his rounds in my neighborhood! He doesn’t come around where I live now.
I liked him when I was little. Maybe he doesn’t come around if there are no kids?~skt
Uhhhhhgggg!!! I canNOT take the ice-cream truck! I wish I could direct him to YOUR neighborhood Shelly, cause if I hear Pop! Goes the Weasel one more time, I think I could do something rash to his truck, I really do. No, I’m kidding!
No. I’m not.
I didn’t think you were! I hate Pop Goes The Weasel, too. I don’t really want an ice cream truck in the neighborhood. I would be eating ice cream all the time~skt