What's Italian Ice?

Italian ice is a frozen dessert made from either concentrated syrup flavoring or real purees. It is not shaved ice that is flavored. Rather, it is made by the same process that ice cream is made by mixing ingredients and pouring them into a batch freezer. The quality of the Italian ice varies widely by whether it is made with flavor extracts or real ingredients. Technically, Italian ice is the same as sorbet but the term "Italian ice" is usually associated with the icy artificial product that comes from using extracts, which "Sorbet" is often used for product made with real ingredients. Sometimes the term "Gourmet Italian Ice" is used to refer to Italian ice that is made from real fruit.

Water ice is Philadelphia style Italian ice, which is typically served at a higher temperature than Italian ice in other locales. The consistency is softer and smoother.