Rita's Italian Ice with Carl Tart & Christine Nangle (LIVE)

"Rita's Italian Ice with Carl Tart & Christine Nangle (LIVE)" is Episode 222 of *Doughboys*, hosted by Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger. "Rita's Italian Ice with Carl Tart & Christine Nangle (LIVE)" was released on September 26, 2019.

## Synopsis

For our second show in Philadelphia, we're rejoined by Carl Tart (*Comedy Bang! Bang!, Brooklyn Nine-Nine*) and Christine Nangle (*Inside Amy Schumer, The Simpsons*) to review a dessert chain founded in Pennsylvania: Rita's Italian Ice. Plus, another live edition of the Snack Stack.

Recorded live at Punch Line Philly on September 5, 2019.

## Nick's intro

"Water ice": to an outsider, a baffling term - somehow both redundant and contradictory; ice, of course, being the solid state water takes when it reaches a temperature below zero degrees Celsius.

But water ice, or 'woorter ice,' is what residents of the greater Philadelphia metropolitan area call Italian ice, a non-dairy, fruit-based frozen dessert that is somewhere between a sorbet and a granita.

With origins tracing back to the 17th century when migrants from the Arab Peninsula brought snow-based sweet treats to Italy, the icy confection traversed the Pacific\* in the early 20th century with the migration of Italians to the eastern shores of the U.S. In the rest of the country, the dessert was simply called "Italian ice," but in Philly, for unknown reasons, locals preferred "woorter ice."

And the term stuck like syrupy residue on a satisfied customer's fingers.

In 1984, on a scorching May afternoon in the Philadelphia suburb of Bensalem Township, Bob Tumolo, a former firefighter, opened a window serving "woorter ice." The fledgling business was a Tumolo family affair. The recipe was crafted with the help of Bob's mother Elizabeth; management duties were handled with brotherly love by his sibling John; and the establishment itself was named after Bob's wife.

Just over a decade later, Bob's lovely wife had her name on over 100 locations, and in 2005, the Tumolo family sold their stake to private equity firm McKnight Capital Partners, who made the cold, calculated decision to expand worldwide. Today, the chain has over 600 outlets across the globe and though "Italian ice" may be what its official name says, to residents of the city where the Fresh Prince was born and raised, it's "woohter ice."

This week on *Doughboys*: Rita's Italian Ice.

(\**Nick said 'Pacific,' but it seems likely he meant 'Atlantic.'* - ed.)

## Phork rating

 Mike Mitchell
 Carl Tart
 Christine Nangle
* Soft Pretzel
 shared

There was a bit of sharing of orders between Nick, Mitch, and Carl; Christine went with her parents.

## Snack Stack

In this segment for live shows, audience members bring snacks to Yusong and Emma, which are accumulated into a big pile. (They put out a call on Twitter before the show.)

The Doughboys end up with a giant Snack Stack, but only pick a couple of things from it to try.

Someone also gave them a book about scrapple.

 Mike Mitchell
 Carl Tart
 Christine Nangle

Tastykake Butterscotch KrimpetsHerr's Hot Cheese CurlsA-Treat Big Blue SodaBoost! Citrus Fruit Syrup*Pennsylvania Scrapple: A Delectable History* by Amy Strauss

## Quotes

**Nick**: Like I'm going to spackle it with my ejaculate?

**Mitch**: I know they do! I've seen it!

## "Philadelphia Cream Cheese"

* Performed by: Mike Mitchell & Carl Tart
* Written by: Mike Mitchell & Carl Tart
* Based on "Philadelphia Freedom" by Elton John

I ate ‘em by myself
With some butter or even a little jam
Then I found a topping and it worked just right
A creamy cheesy spread
I put in on my bagel with a knife
'Cause I love to eat, that Philadelphia Cream Cheese

From the day that I was born I spread it high
Philadelphia Cream Cheese
Spread it on my bagel, man
With a side of Wawa coffee, if you can
Phil-a-delphia Cream Cheese, spread it on

I love it, spread it high
Extra points if it’s whipped or it’s chived
Spread it on, spread it on
Spread it high, won’t you spread it hiiiiiiiigh
Phil-a-delphia Cream Cheese
I lo-o-ove you…yes I do
In Japan they used to like their suuu-shi whole
Some people do sashimi
And some others, just like the good ole Cali roll (some people like the Cali roll)
I like eatin’ salmon wrapped in seaweed and rice
Until I got a big ole scoop o’that Philly Cream Cheese
Ooh they treated me so nice
'Cause we love to eat that Philadelphia Cream Cheese
From the day that we were born we spread it high
Philadelphia Cream Cheese
pread it on our bagel man
With a side of Wawa coffee, if you can
Phil-a-delphia Cream Cheese, spread it on
We love it, spread it high
Extra points if it’s whipped and it’s chived
Spread it high, spread it high
Spread it high, won’t you spread it hiiiiiiiigh
Phil-a-delphia Cream Cheese
We lo-o-ove you…yes we do*

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