It's-It Ice Cream is an ice cream manufacturer and distributor since 1928, based in Burlingame, California.[1][2] The company is best known for the popular It's-It ice cream sandwich, which is a scoop of ice cream sandwiched between two oatmeal cookies and dipped in dark chocolate.[3] The original vanilla It's-It has been available in additional flavors since the 1980s.
History
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The It's-It was invented in 1928 by George Whitney, one of the original business owners when San Francisco's Playland at the Beach opened across the Great Highway from Ocean Beach.[1][4] One version of the name's origins is that Whitney was experimenting and cried out "It's-It!" when he hit on the combination of a sandwich of vanilla ice cream inside two oatmeal cookies, covered in chocolate.[4][5] Another version is that he heard someone answer the question which cow had won a cow race that day (a tradition at Playland); the cow's name was It.[6]
For nearly forty-five years, until Playland was demolished in 1972, the It's-It was available only at Whitney's shop. After Playland closed, the It's-It name was passed to George Mavros, who sold the ice cream sandwiches at another location near Ocean Beach.[7]
In 1974, the Shamieh brothers, and their brothers-in law, A.L. McDow and Isa Zaru, bought the It's-It business.[8][9] They mechanized production, first at a facility on 11th Street in downtown San Francisco, moving to the current factory in Burlingame in 1976.[10] The company's products are now sold in supermarkets and convenience stores.[4] Chocolate, strawberry, mint and cappuccino flavors were added in the 1980s[6] and green tea in 2016;[11] pumpkin is also available.[12][13] The company has also added other ice cream products, including the "Super Sundae", the "Big Daddy", the "Super Cone", and the "Chips It".[4][14]
References
edit- ^ a b Rodriguez, Steph (13 December 2022). "Where to get the It's-It flavors you can't find at corner stores". SFGATE. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
- ^ Wong, Claudine (6 August 2021). "It's-It factory store offers updates on timeless ice cream sandwiches". KTVU FOX 2. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
- ^ Decolongon, Josh (3 August 2023). "We Recreated an It's-It Ice Cream Sandwich at Home — With an Oakland Twist. | KQED". www.kqed.org. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
- ^ a b c d Matt Villano (10 June 2005). "What's What with It's-It". The San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
- ^ Cabanatuan, Michael (19 March 2021). "Ice cream invasion: It's-Its will soon be available in East Coast freezers". San Francisco Chronicle. ISSN 1932-8672. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
- ^ a b Maria Cianci (20 May 1998). "The What's What About It's-It / Ice cream treat born at beach playland park". The San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
- ^ Dunne, Carey (30 June 2017). "Still 'It' after all these years". nobhillgazette.com. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
- ^ "Small, family-run businesses on the Peninsula that are beating the odds". Climate Online. 18 July 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
- ^ Ehsanipour, Asal (26 May 2020). "Bay Area Foodie Culture Goes Way Further Back Than California Cuisine". KQED. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
- ^ Villano, Matt (10 June 2005). "What's what with It's-It / Burlingame institution takes frozen assets to another level". SFGATE. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
- ^ Chris Preovolos (19 August 2016). "It's-It has a new ice cream flavor". The San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
- ^ Amanda Gold (31 May 2009). "Bay Area stars freshening up five classic dishes". The San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
- ^ Paolo Lucchesi (6 September 2017). "A correct and definitive ranking of It's-It flavors". The San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
- ^ "It's-It Frequently Asked Questions". 2011. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
External links
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