Rita's Water Ice

I like Rita's Water Ice. Spring means more than just robins, flowers and seasonal allergies. It means more than baseball, playoff hockey and the NFL Draft. What Spring means most (at least for the purpose of this post) is the return of Rita's Water Ice.

I know--some of you who did not grow up in the Philly area want to call it "Italian" ice. And while that may be what it is, the company, and the dessert, will always be Rita's "Water" Ice. Headquartered in my hometown of Bensalem, PA, Rita's Water Ice is the quintessential harbinger of summer (and the most delicious, too). And since it has become such a popular franchise, the red and white awnings are just about everywhere up and down the east coast.

My buddy Brett used to work at a Rita's Water Ice in high school and that meant a steady supply of the night's leftovers holed up in his freezer. Whenever someone had a party with certain libations, the perfect frozen mango or cherry mixer were always close by. And these days, while living it up in Charm City, Rita's Water Ice is a nice reminder of good times and warm nights back home.