An Italian Ice to Gush About!

by Cylithria Dubois

I'm not a person who looks to food in times of sorrow, pain, joy, celebration or when I need comfort. In my life food is for one reason only, nutrients. Don't get me wrong, I do adore all types of food, and love trying new dishes. I have things I hate, like anyone else, and of course I have favorites. But to be frank, I never thought I'd find any one food I'd ever Gush about. But I was wrong. I found Luigi's® Real Italian Ice.

I was introduced to Luigi's® Real Italian Ice by accident in 1984. I had just moved onto Long Island, New York and the entire world around me was foreign. I was a teenage girl who had been ripped from her secluded life of forests, waterways and islands and plopped down in the middle of the Hamptons. Nothing was familiar to me, not even how people talked. But to my mother, this was home.

In the days and months that followed my arrival on the Island, my mother inundated us with more foods then we'd ever imagined existing. We learned about things called bagels, we had our first New York Style pizza, and we had hot dogs with sauerkraut. Our poor taste buds were in overdrive and our minds were stunned.

One of the things we were introduced to were the miraculous storefronts called delis. They didn't have such things on our small Alaskan island, and to walk into a deli and see all of the deliciously prepared foods along with the fresh meats and cheeses in the glass cases ... well, it is still a sight that mesmerizes me. It was in the Little Red Deli only a block from my home that I first discovered Luigi's® Real Italian Ice.

I was looking for something other than ice cream. At that time the only other option I knew of was sherbet. I asked the man behind the counter if they had any sherbet and he gave me an odd look. He directed me to the tiny yellow and white cup and handed me a wooden paddle spoon. "Try those, they might be close."

That man was so wrong!

Luigi's® Real Italian Ice isn't remotely close to sherbet or sorbet. It's not like shave ice or snow cones. It's better!

It's believed that the first frozen desert mixture was created by the Roman Emperor Nero and was concocted from snow, nectar, fruit pulp and honey. Obviously Nero was one smart guy despite the fact that the way Italian Ice is made has changed slightly from his era.

An Italian Ice is not simply shaved ice or ice chips with syrup on it. It's a delicate mixture of flavorings mixed with natural cane sugar in a pure water base. The ingredients are freeze-blended together creating a delicious and creamy frozen treat! But it isn't just the flavor of this delicacy that has me addicted. Its creamy, smooth, light and airy texture is simply to die for!

From the first time I tried Luigi's® Real Italian Ice, I was in love. Over the years since then I have tried various brands of Italian Ice, freshly-made Italian Ice, and some pretty nasty imitation Italian Ice. None has stood up to Luigi's® standards of quality and superb taste.

I've always been partial to Lemon Italian Ice, but when I was deathly ill and suffering from extreme nausea my doctor recommended I drink water with lemon or eat lemon sherbet. Apparently lemon can help control bouts of nausea and sour stomach. Instead I reached for my box of Luigi's® Real Italian Ice and you know what? It worked! To this day I keep a box of them in my freezer and any ill tummies at my house are treated to this wonderful confection of blizzardry.

For those of us who watch what we eat, Luigi's® Real Italian Ice may be right up your dieting alley. They contain no fat, no cholesterol, and are dairy- and gluten-free! In addition to the Lemon flavor, they also come in Cherry, Strawberry, Grape, Chocolate and Lemon Strawberry.

Luigi's also makes their famous Luigi's® Swirls, which kids of all ages adore! In four fantastical varieties of swirled flavors, you can offer your children their choice between Strawberry-Banana Blast, Blue Razzin Lemonade, Bubble Gum Burst, and Cherry Lime Chiller. As with Luigis® Real Italian Ice, there is no fat, no cholesterol and these too are gluten- and dairy-free.

With the last bit of summer lingering up here in the Northern Hemisphere and summer months quickly coming your way in the Southern Hemisphere, I thought right now would be an excellent time to share with you my favorite, healthy treat. And the very best thing about Luigi's® Real Italian Ice is that you don't have to be in a Little Red Deli on Long Island to get them. By visiting their website you can find local retailers near you that carry these wonderful treats in their frozen food case! With something that tastes so good, is so healthy and has a widespread availability, how could I not Gush about Luigi's® Real Italian Ice? I hope you enjoy!