Rita's Italian Ice

Everyone I knew for months was telling me how wonderful this stuff was. I nodded politely, all the while either thinking a) what's the big deal about a Sno-Cone? b) what's the big deal about a Slurpee? or c) didn't you fuckers say the same thing about Dipping Dots? Then I had my first one on Sunday after a kickball game.

Dear God.

Half raspberry, half peach. An intense flavor that, unlike the Slurpee or the Sno-Cone, doesn't fade away when you eat half of it, leaving that sad slightly-colored ice residue with no flavor left that still takes up half your cup. The juice from the melting raspberry, which was on the bottom, blended perfectly with the peach atop. Ate it so lustily that I got two brain freezes.

Ensuing days brought ice combinations of cherry/pineapple and black cherry/key lime. Both were almost as good as the first one. I sampled the cream ice flavors, and ... no. Birthday cake ice is an ice too far for me. But the straight fruit (lol wut) ones are consistently awesome.

So consider me a convert.

 

Never had a problem with a Slurpee losing its flavor halfway through the cup. But you are exactly right about Sno-Cones.


I'm guessing this Rita's is more of a local place?

 

Rita's are near me as well.

I didn't think they would be any big deal either.

Then I tried one prior to umpiring a baseball game.

One taste and I thought "where has THIS been all my life?"

To say it's simply delicious would be to damn it with faint praise. Wow.

 

It's a mostly East Coast chain, with some stores also in Texas.

 

Kickball?

 

there's a rita's 30 seconds from me yet i've never tried one.

 

They built one like 10 minutes from me, but I'd never tried it until that baseball game.

 

totally. kickball leagues springing up all over the country.

same for gaga. i really miss playing gaga.

 

What? Not *that* Gaga?

Bet you'd like to play her, if ya know what I mean.

 

I'm sure once you have one it'll make your list of the 75,453 things you like.

 

you might be right. i can't believe i'll have waited so long ... kinda like trying oatmeal for the first time at age 33.

 

oh, and touche, sir.