Latest news with #ItalianIce
USA Today
14-06-2025
- Business
- USA Today
DiCosmo's Italian Ice turns 110: The story behind a small business with a big legacy
DiCosmo's Italian Ice turns 110: The story behind a small business with a big legacy Show Caption Hide Caption Caesar salad, invented in Mexico by Italian immigrants, is still pleasing palates after 100 years Caesar salad has something to celebrate: It's turning 100. In the U.S., 35% of U.S. restaurants have Caesar salad on their menus. (Scripps News) Scripps News On Wednesday, June 4, the family celebrated more than a century's worth of success. DiCosmo's Italian Ice will give one small free Italian ice away to one customer for 110 days, until Sept. 22. More than a century ago, southern Italian immigrants Giovanni and Caterina DiCosmo decided to offer a taste of their homeland in their new community of Elizabeth, New Jersey, when they started selling lemon Italian ice, a take on granita, which is a Sicilian frozen treat. They knew it would help their neighbors cool down during the particularly hot summer of 1915. What they didn't know was that 110 years later, their great-granddaughter Eileen DiCosmo O'Connor would keep their legacy alive just south in the city of Metuchen. DiCosmo's Italian Ice opened its seasonal shop five years ago, a sister store to the Elizabeth location. On Wednesday, June 4, the Metuchen store celebrated the brand's storied, 110-year history with $1.10 small cups of Italian ice. It was also the first day that DiCosmo's Italian Ice will give one small free Italian ice away to a different customer each day for 110 days, until Sept. 22. For a chance to win, customers should follow DiCosmo's Italian Ice on Facebook or Instagram, or subscribe to email updates on its website. Each day, the shop will randomly select one of the followers or subscribers. 'I'm surprised that this little seasonal business selling this niche item has endured,' said O'Connor, the fourth-generation co-owner of DiCosmo's Italian Ice. 'I'm really proud. I know we have a great product and we wouldn't be here without our customers. I appreciate that for generations, they keep wanting more.' More summer sweet treats: McDonald's new McFlurry is based on a campfire snack treat. See availability Despite the many decades that have passed since the DiCosmos first created a recipe simply using fresh-squeezed lemon juice, sugar and water, the way that the shop makes the Italian ice today is the same as it was 110 years ago. So are the ingredients. DiCosmo's Italian Ice uses real fruit, including local strawberries, peaches and apples when they're in season. By using real fruit, corn syrup and extra sugar are not needed, so the ice isn't overly sweet. Only five gallons are made at a time, and only eight flavors are offered at any time — always kept at a precise temperature and with minimal exposure to air — so ice never sits for more than 48 hours. 'When ice sits, the ice crystals grow and has a different mouthfeel,' said O'Connor. 'Because it's fresh, the ice crystals stay small and has that melt-in-your-mouth burst in flavor.' The original lemon flavor, as well as the pina colada, mango and cherry flavors, are always available. The other four slots are filled by rotating flavors based on the season. Flavors have included lime mint, dragon fruit pineapple, strawberry guava and lavender haze, in honor of when a Taylor Swift tribute artist performed in the borough. The Metuchen shop is open seasonally based on the weather, which means that it sometimes opens early if there's a warm week in April or stays open through October if it's a hot fall. The Elizabeth shop was recently sold to new owners, although the DiCosmos shared their recipes and methods with them. It will open on a to-be-announced date. After DiCosmo's Italian Ice founders Giovanni and Caterina DiCosmo retired in the 1900s, they passed the business down to their son, Alfred, and his wife Agnes, a talented cook. She developed additional flavors for the shop, while Alfred, a welder, mechanized the hand crank machines to reduce the manufacturing time and increase production. They passed it on to their son, John, and his wife Nancy, who transformed the business from a small seasonal hobby into a modern business with extended hours and modernized manufacturing. O'Connor, their daughter, now co-runs the shop alongside her husband Mike O'Connor. She hopes that one day, the fifth generation of her family will continue the DiCosmo's Italian Ice tradition. 'I hope that one of my kids takes the shop over one day,' O'Connor said. 'There are 14 grandchildren, so if not mine, then maybe some of the cousins.' Go: 20 New St., Metuchen, New Jersey, 732-243-9328, Jenna Intersimone has been a staff member at the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey since 2014. To get unlimited access to her stories about food, drink and fun, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. You can also follow her on Instagram at @seejennaeat and on Twitter at @JIntersimone.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Premier Primary Care to Celebrate Grand Opening in Urbana, MD with Ribbon Cutting and Community Open House
URBANA, Md., June 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Premier Primary Care is proud to announce the official grand opening of its new medical office at 3546 Worthington Blvd Suite #3 in Urbana, Maryland. The new practice will celebrate this exciting milestone with a ribbon cutting ceremony in partnership with the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, June 12 at 12:00 PM. The ceremony will be followed by an open house featuring complimentary food, refreshments, business card raffle and Rita's Italian Ice. Premier Primary Care is thrilled to open its doors in Urbana and provide high-quality, personalized healthcare to individuals and families throughout the Frederick County community. The practice is now accepting new patients and offers a full spectrum of primary care services tailored to adult patients. "Our goal is to create a welcoming, patient-focused environment where individuals and families can receive the comprehensive care and personal service they deserve," said Dr Sassan Taghizadeh, one of the four doctors at Premier Primary Care. "We're honored to be part of the Urbana community and look forward to making a positive impact on the health and well-being of our new neighbors." The practice specializes in preventive care, routine check-ups, chronic condition management, and individualized health screenings for conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and cancer. Additional services include physicals, lab testing, and post-diagnosis care, all designed to support long-term health and wellness. Located at 3546 Worthington Blvd, Suite 301, Urbana, MD 21704, Premier Primary Care offers elevator access and ample parking for patient convenience. The practice is currently accepting most major insurance plans, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Aetna, and Medicare. The entire community is invited to attend the grand opening celebration, meet our care team, and tour our new office space. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please visit or call (301) 979-9772. View original content: SOURCE Premier Primary Care Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Business Journals
28-04-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
Dining news: Rita's Italian Ice launches new flavor; Tela's to close in Fairmount
By submitting your information you are agreeing to our Privacy Policy and User Agreement . Join the Philadelphia Business Journal to unlock even more insights! As one Fairmount restaurant prepares to close, two ice cream shops are readying to open in Rittenhouse Square. With the weather warming up, Stephen Starr's seasonal Parisian cafe is set to return for its fourth year and Center City District is bringing back its annual Sips summer happy hour. Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard is adding a new limited-time flavor ahead of summer, and two new ice cream shops are ready to open in Rittenhouse Square. Here's what you need to know about the Greater Philadelphia dining scene this week: GET TO KNOW YOUR CITY Find Local Events Near You Connect with a community of local professionals. Explore All Events Rita's launches new flavor Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard added a soda-inspired flavor ahead of the summer season. The Trevose-headquartered dessert maker started selling a limited-time cola Italian Ice at all of its locations across the country on Friday. The new flavor is meant to give customers the taste of "old-school cola nostalgia." Rita's new flavor will also be served in a Cola Float Gelati, made with layers of cola Italian Ice and vanilla frozen custard, and a Twisted Cola Blender that tops the cola Italian ice with CocoLime Cream. With the blender, Rita's aims to jump on a recent social media trend of beverage experimentation, Rita's senior director of marketing Madalyn Weintraub said in a statement. Last month, Rita's launched a limited-time Skittles Italian ice and Skittles Pop'd freeze-dried candy topping in partnership with the rainbow-colored candy's owner Mars Inc. expand Tela's Market & Kitchen in Fairmount will shutter next month after more than 11 years in operation. Google Maps Tela's closing in Fairmount Fairmount restaurant Tela's Market & Kitchen plans to close its doors next month. The concept will shutter after brunch service on May 4, owners Daniel and Alex Greenberg announced in a social media post on April 21. Tela's is located on the ground floor of 1833 Fairmount Ave., an apartment building developed by Daniel's North Broad Living. In the post, the Greenbergs said it is "simply time to move on" after more than 11 years of running the eatery. "We will miss the breakfast meetings, our laptop remote-workers, our happy hour and dinner guests, our bottle-shop wine customers, and our weekend brunch crowd," the owners wrote. The Greenbergs added that they hope to share who is moving into the Tela's space in the coming months. Tela's Market & Kitchen opened in late 2013. The concept offers breakfast, lunch, dinner, happy hour and weekend brunch. expand Brooklyn-based ice cream shop Malai will make its Philadelphia debut next month when it opens a location in Rittenhouse Square. Morgan Ione Yeager Malai, Weckerly's ready for Rittenhouse debuts Two ice cream shops are preparing to open in Rittenhouse Square next month. Fishtown spot Weckerly's Ice Cream will debut at 1600 Spruce St. on May 9. The following week, Brooklyn-born South Asian shop Malai will open to the public on May 17 at 260 S. 18th St. Weckerly's Rittenhouse Square shop, first reported by the Business Journal last fall, will serve up to 24 rotating small-batch ice cream flavors, along with its traditional ice cream sandwiches and to-go pints. This new location, however, will expand its offerings by selling coffee, tea, vegan ice cream flavors, and soft-serve ice cream. Owner and CEO Christina Torres took over Weckerly's in late 2023. Since then, she has expanded the business with a second location in the King of Prussia Mall. expand Weckerly's Ice Cream will open at 1600 Spruce St. next month. Weckerly's Ice Cream Malai's Philadelphia outpost will span 1,500 square feet and seat 15 people inside. The ice cream shop was founded in 2015 by Pooja Bavishi, a Pennsylvania native and winner of Food Network's Chopped Sweets competition. Bavishi will offer a new flavor, Cinnamon Honeybun, for the Philadelphia shop's opening. The ice cream flavor is inspired by Tastykake's Honey Buns. Quick bites: Cherry Hill Jewish delicatessen The Kibitz Room has opened its second location in King of Prussia. The 128 Town Center Road restaurant is open on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and weekends from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. has opened its second location in King of Prussia. The 128 Town Center Road restaurant is open on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and weekends from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Philadelphia-born chain Federal Donuts & Chicken opened its first location in South Jersey at 300 Route 73 S. in Marlton on Friday. The fried chicken, coffee and donut shop is the first of four locations for franchisees Mark Heinz and Debbie Grady, with another lease signed for an undisclosed location in Princeton. opened its first location in South Jersey at 300 Route 73 S. in Marlton on Friday. The fried chicken, coffee and donut shop is the first of four locations for franchisees Mark Heinz and Debbie Grady, with another lease signed for an undisclosed location in Princeton. Center City District's Sips returns for its 21st season on June 4. The popular summertime happy hour will run every Wednesday through Aug. 27 from 5 to 7 p.m., featuring food and drink discounts at dozens of bars and restaurants throughout the city. returns for its 21st season on June 4. The popular summertime happy hour will run every Wednesday through Aug. 27 from 5 to 7 p.m., featuring food and drink discounts at dozens of bars and restaurants throughout the city. Restaurateur Stephen Starr's Parisian outdoor eatery Café Click will reopen at the Comcast Center Plaza for the summer season on May 5. The cafe will serve lunch and dinner on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. through October. will reopen at the Comcast Center Plaza for the summer season on May 5. The cafe will serve lunch and dinner on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. through October. The Asian American Chamber of Commerce is launching a new 10-day initiative called Asian Eats. Running May 1-11, the program will include special food and beverage menus at restaurants throughout Philadelphia's Chinatown neighborhood, with the goal of highlighting neighborhood concepts during AAPI Heritage Month. In case you missed it: Sign up here for the Philadelphia Business Journal's free newsletters, and download our free app for breaking news alerts.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Jeremiah's Italian Ice to open new locations in Baton Rouge, Ascension Parish
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — A frozen dessert shop is expanding in the Baton Rouge area this summer. Jeremiah's Italian Ice is aiming to open another shop in Baton Rouge and their first in Ascension Parish. They opened their first location in September 2022 at 3260 Highland Road. The second location in Baton Rouge will be at 4343 S Sherwood Forest Blvd Ste A. The store in Ascension Parish will be located at 117 N Airline Highway in Gonzales. According to Franchise Operating Partner, Cody Loveland, the Gonzales location is tracking to open at or around the same time as the second location in Baton Rouge. Loveland said the Gonzales location is on track to open in late May or early June. As for the location on Sherwood Forest Boulevard, he said they will hold a soft opening and then a grand opening around a month after that. The franchise operating partner gave many reasons why they are opening this second location including the presence of a drive-thru, many churches and schools in the area and a low build out cost. Whichever store that customers go to, they can expect to see their authentic Italian Ice, soft ice cream, Jelati and Jelati cakes. Loveland said Jelati is a 'perfect layering of any of our Italian Ice flavors and our rich soft ice cream.' Michelin Guide expands to Southern US, includes Louisiana Jeremiah's Italian Ice also has locations in Covington and Mandeville. Loveland said Jeremiah's Italian Ice is aiming to open a shop in Youngsville this summer too. If all goes well, there will be six stores in Louisiana before summer ends. The first Jeremiah's Italian Ice opened in Winter Park, Fla. in 1996. LSU spring practice in Tiger Stadium: Meet Coach Kelly, get autographs Senate confirms Oz as head of CMS along party lines MAP: What are President Trump's new tariffs in each country? MASTERS '25: 10 players likely to contend for a green jacket Deputies still investigating disappearance of Wesley Dale Morgan; $10K reward available Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
21-03-2025
- Business
- Axios
Charlotte-made Italian Ice cools you off and gets you high
A mom-and-pop-style frozen dessert shop in Cornelius has launched a line of New York-style Italian Ice infused with THC Delta-9 or CBD. Why it matters: While cannabis is increasingly found in a variety of products, from seltzers to baked goods, Concetto's Italian Ice owner Amy Liu says her product offers something different: A discrete and refreshing way to consume THC or CBD — especially on a hot, summer day in North Carolina. Made in Charlotte, Infused Ice CLT launched about a month ago. You can find them at several stores: Sweet Union Hemp Company in Monroe, Sip City in Plaza Midwood, Tip Top on The Plaza, Old Town Public House in Cornelius and Common Market. The five-ounce jars retail for around $10 to $12, depending on the store. Flavors so far are cherry, mango and lemon — some of the bestsellers in Liu's store. How it works: The ices contain 25 milligrams of THC Delta-9 or CBD — a moderate dose for experienced users and a good option for newcomers to split with a friend or save in the freezer for later. It takes about an hour for the effects to kick in. "I always recommend for new users — just start slow," Liu says. CBD is known for its calming effects and easing anxiety and pain but it does not make you high. THC, marijuana's psychoactive component, is the one that will produce the "high" sensation. Context: Liu opened Concetto's Italian Ice about a year ago, making the transition from her former job as an occupational hand therapist of 18 years. "I wanted to bring a bit of New York to here," she says."We have a ton of Italian ice stores where I grew up in Queens and Long Island." Around the same time the store opened, Liu says someone suggested she infuse her Italian ice. She began experimenting with different flavors, testing the potency and sending recipes for testing. Zoom out: Although North Carolina is one of the few remaining states where marijuana is illegal, it has some of the most lenient regulations for products extracted from hemp. Liu's product complies with the 2018 Farm Bill, which declassified hemp as a controlled substance so long as it contains less than 0.3% Delta-9 THC. North Carolina updated its laws in 2022 to align with the federal regulation. Since then, intoxicating products have become increasingly available at North Carolina dispensaries, bars and breweries, bottle shops, and even pizzerias. State lawmakers are considering newly filed legislation to enact age restrictions, set dosage limits, require licenses for hemp manufacturers and mandate product testing.
