Ice cream is hands down my favorite food group. I’d opt for a pot of mint chocolate chip over a real meal any day. And since being in the U.S., I’ve discovered a number of ways to eat it that don’t involve vats of cream – from fruity frozen yogurts to shaved ice or snow cones.

But this weekend, I tried a whole new option: Italian ice. While I’m pretty sure it has less cream than ice cream, I have no doubt that it is crammed full of additives. But who cares, eh? It’s summer!

Yes, you heard right. We finally have the sun. Ryan and I celebrated with a walk around Prospect Park.

Afterwards, we left the park on the west side and he took me to my new favorite place: an Italian ice store.

The list of flavors at Johnny and Tino’s was endless, but I went for passion fruit, while Ryan had peanut butter flavor.

Delicious. The fact it’s ice-based makes it far more refreshing than a cup of ice cream, and lighter too. The passion fruit flavor was so flowery and sweet. See all their flavors here.

When I got back home, I Googled Italian ice places in Manhattan and quickly learned that it’s more of an outer boroughs specialty, or something food trucks might carry. But in the city there are a couple of options: Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices on 24th Street (between Lexington and 3rd) and Rita’s on the Upper West Side (on Broadway between 92nd and 93rd Streets), and both have pretty cracking reviews.

We’ve waited painfully long for the summer, so I think it’s only right that we reward ourselves with several Italian ices a day, don’t you?