Why is the Sorbetes Called Dirty Ice Cream?

In my second Facebook account, I was asked by a Fil-American friend a simple

question that I frankly and remarkably had no credible answer for: “Why is
Filipino street-peddled ice cream called dirty ice cream?”

The friend crossed over to the other side of the Pacific about half a century
ago; and thus the question, trite as it may sound, was perfectly legitimate.

Back in the day, we just said ‘sorbetes.’

If I am being honest, I did not really know the answer; and I still don’t. But
after a quick scratch of the back of my head with a hooked pointer finger, I
hastily invented a plausible enough sounding theorem.

Sorbetes manufacturing, I said, is something of a backyard industry; and

sanitation standards are not always acceptable. I almost added ‘churva’ but
then realised he probably would not understand the meaning of that
contemporary word.

“
For all we know, the
term just came from
uppity mothers who
admonished their
children not to buy
from the sorbetero
 because the ice cream
was so dirty and so
kadirî! And it just
caught on…

”
I did admonish the friend not to quote me, my very polite way of saying that I
just made the explanation up. I am sure he figured that on his own.

Another friend, this time a Fil-German, said that she thought the name was
because the hand of the sorbetero was dirty. I gave this a bit of thought and,
yeah, this explanation was as valid as mine.

Indeed, when I was a boy, the sorbetero was rather bound to be an oldish man
with wizened hands along with cracked and dirty fingernails.

Hence, back in the day, we were admonished not to eat the bottom of the apa
(the cone) because this was the part he held with his fingers as he scooped the
ice cream onto it.

Of course, back in the day, I was still a little boy. I would not know how to
spell sanitation let alone what it meant. That is just my way of saying that I ate
the bottom of the apa, anyway.

Sayang din. Lamang tiyan.

Truth be told, the sorbetero was something of a Pied Piper; and the sound of
his tililing (little bell) sent the kids scampering from their houses to chase after
him. The sorbetes offered cheap relief from the tropical heat.

Of course, if one had more coins, one could also go for the branded popsicles
like the pinipig grunch (pinipig crunch). If for some reason Mother was suddenly
and inexplicably generous with handing out the coins, then one went to the
ice cream shop for Magnolia.

But because these occasions were rare – or, at least, in my Mom’s case – then it
was the ubiquitous sorbetes most of the time. When one is a little boy,
anything that is cold, sweet and creamy always brings a sparkle to ones’ eyes.
I think the term ‘dirty ice cream’ is a fairly recently coined term. We sure did
not call it this way back in the day.

For all we know, the term just came from uppity mothers who admonished
their children not to buy from the sorbetero because the ice cream was so dirty
and so kadirî! And it just caught on…

Until even those who are not squeamish about the sorbetes ironically call it
dirty ice cream as well…

At this point, one explanation is as good as the other because, at the end of
the day. I do not really know.

But maybe you do?

We have come a long way from the “dirty ice cream” served in the great Malolos
banquet of September 1898, when the First Republic ratified the June 12, 1898,
declaration of independence. A history of ice cream in the Philippines is not just a
catalogue of taste but also an alternative way of looking at how Filipinos have
changed to become the nation we want to be.

Read more: http://opinion.inquirer.net/86983/a-history-of-dirty-ice-cream#ixzz4CNvcUSAf

Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook
The Dirty Ice Cream of Manila

Image Source: hopepoh.wordpress.com

One of the curious street foods in the Philippines is something called “dirty ice cream.” It is real
homemade creamy ice cream made from local fruits. The traditional word for dirty ice cream is
“sorbetes” similar “sorbet.”

The unique ingredient in sorbetes is coconut milk and when sold on the streets, the customer has a
choice between putting the ice cream in a bread bun or on a small wafer cone. One scoop is
equivalent to 1.5 tablespoon in weight and costs a mere 25 U.S. cents making it extremely affordable
for anyone on a hot summer day.

The common flavors of dirty ice are cheese, mango, ube, and chocolate. Its history began during the
American occupation of the Philippines where American ice cream made in Philippines used water
buffalo’s milk instead of cow’s milk. Water buffalo’s milk was cheaper and easily available. Today
new flavors have been introduced because of western influence like cookies and cream, mocha, and
strawberry.

Peddlers of dirty ice cream do not have a permanent stand. They walk around the city streets and can
also be hired for private parties. Some peddlers have taken to attacking their ice cream carts to a bike
making it easier for them to reach farther places and sell more. Most often they are hired for a
children’s party and the customer must pay for the entire contents of the cart for the 2 to 3 hour party.

You would wonder how these carts can keep the ice cream from melting especially under the hot
tropical sun. The trick of the street vendors is the stuff the carts with shaved ice mixed with salt. This
lowers the temperature and keeps the ice cream which is stored in metal canisters cold and frozen.

As to why it is called dirty ice cream – this was a mother’s warning to a child from buying street food
that may not be safe to eat. In addition, the vendor usually never wears gloves. The government
however has stepped and made sure that the vendors practice good sanitation and hygiene. The buns
and wafer cones have to be wrapped in napkins so the vendor does not touch the food with his bare
hands. However, in spite of the improvements, the name stuck and retained its name, dirty ice cream.
Foreigners who have tasted the ice cream claim that it is a great afternoon treat and has a different
texture. The cheese flavor has tiny bits of cheese while the chocolate is very sweet and mild. As for
the children on the street, the tiny tinkling of the bell is like music to their ears as they know the
sorbetero is near.

http://www.gwfoodcoop.org/how-its-made/the-dirty-ice-cream-of-manila/

Sorbetes is the traditional variation of ice cream made in the Philippines.[citation needed] It is distinct from
the similarly named sorbet. Peddled by street hawkers, it is usually served with small wafer or sugar
cones and more recently, bread buns. It is uniquely made fromcoconut milk, unlike other iced
desserts that are made from animal milk.

History and formulation[edit]

Ice cream was introduced in the Philippines during the American Occupation when refrigerators and
other cooling devices were introduced.[1] While American ice cream was made with cow's milk, using
the milk of the carabao, a kind of water buffalo, resulted in a cheaper product which became known
as "sorbetes." Both kinds of milk are widely used today.Coconut milk and cassava flour are two other
ingredients used that make sorbetes distinct from ice cream made in other countries.[2] Flavors also
varied from the usual natural fruits such
as mango, avocado, melon, jackfruit, coconut and strawberry to flavors imitating commercial ice
cream such as chocolate, cookies and cream, cheese, mocha, ube, etc.

The sorbetes industry competes with commercially available ice cream from giant companies
operating in the Philippines such as Arce Dairy, Magnolia, Nestlé, and Selecta, which also started
peddling their product in the streets in more sanitized carts.

Peddling[edit]

Sorbetes is peddled by sorbeteros using colorfully painted wooden carts which usually can
accommodate three flavors, each in a large metal canister. Peddlers get their carts from makers
scattered around the cities of the Philippines in the morning and walk the streets the whole day,
calling consumers from their houses by ringing a small handheldbell.
The wooden cart has two large wooden wheels at the front part to easily push the cart though latest
carts are already attached to bicycles.

The cart is stuffed with shaved ice sprinkled with salt to produce a lower temperature around the
metal canisters and keep the sorbetes frozen longer.[3]

The whole sorbetes cart is also available for private gatherings when negotiated with the sorbetero.
It is usually cheaper than buying gallons of ice cream to be served to guests.

Serving[edit]
Peddlers of sorbetes provide several serving options. It may be served in a small plastic cup, a wafer
cone, a sugar cone or a bread bun, at varying prices. A serving can include one flavor or, for no
extra charge, a mixture of available flavors.

Sorbetes is usually consumed as a snack while travelling. It can also be served as dessert.

Sorbetes Ice Cream: Philippines Style

Sorbetes is the Philippine version of ice cream commonly peddled from carts in the streets of the both

urban and rural districts. It is usually serve with small sugar cones or wafer, and recently with buns. It is

usually made from coconut milk or caraboÂ’s (water buffalo) milk, unlike others that are made from

cowÂ’s milk. Usually, the ice cream peddler (sorbetero) rings his bell to make notice that the ice cream

seller just arrive. Whenever the children heard the bell rings, the kids runs to street to buy.

SORBETES ICE CREAM: PHILIPPINE STYLE

It’s summertime here in the Philippines and Holy Week is almost near – the hottest days in summer.
Summer fruits are almost everywhere, watermelon, cantaloupe, pineapples and others. But added to the
much heat quenching elements are halo-halo and ice cream. Allow me to introduce you the Philippine
traditional version of ice cream and how it is serve not only in the hot days but every sunny days.

Sorbetes is the Philippine version of ice cream commonly peddled from carts in the streets of the both
urban and rural districts. It is usually serve with small sugar cones or wafer, and recently with buns. It is
usually made from coconut milk or carabo’s (water buffalo) milk, unlike others that are made from cow’s
milk. Usually, the ice cream peddler (sorbetero) rings his bell to make notice that the ice cream seller just
arrive. Whenever the children heard the bell rings, the kids runs to street to buy.
History Profile

Ice cream was introduced the same tine cooling devices like refrigerators are brought in during the time of
the American colonization. American ice cream was made from cow’s milk, “sorbetes” was made out of
carabo’s milk, resulting to a cheaper produce. Both kinds of milk are widely used these days. Coconut
milk and cassava flour are other ingredients used to make the local ice cream, making “sorbetes” distinct
from ice cream in other countries. I can not think of other reason why the modern Filipinos called sorbetes
“dirty ice cream” rather than these.

Flavors varied from the usual natural flavor such as mango, melon, ube (yam), jackfruit, and avocado and
coconut flavors. They also copy commercial ice cream flavor like chocolate, cheese, mocha or coffee
flavor.

The “sorbetes” industry competes with the big commercially available ice cream from giant companies
operating in the country such as Nestle, Magnolia and Selecta which also started to peddle their product
in the streets in a more modernized carts like the picture below.

Peddling

Sorbetes is peddled by “sorbeteros” using colorfully hand-painted wooden carts which usually contained
only three flavors, each in a large metal canister. The cart is stuffed with “dry ice” sprinkled with salt to
produce lower temperature around the metal canisters and keep the ice cream frozen longer. These
peddlers usually get their cart from the manufacturers of the local ice cream and walk the streets the
whole day, calling the attention of consumers by ringing their hand-held bell. The latest carts are now
attached to bicycles with stainless containers.

The whole cart is also available for private gatherings like anniversary or birthdays and much cheaper to
buy in gallons of ice cream to be served to the guests.

Serving

Peddlers of sorbetes render various serving options. It may be served in a sugar cone, small plastic cups,
wafer cone or bread bun at different prices. A serving can include one falvor of your choice or a
combination of all available flavors. Sorbetes are best serve as dessert or as a snack.

Due to the high technology and advancement, sorbetes become an endangered peddling business and
become rare nowadays. Big companies had taken most of the market and some have their own kind and
type of peddling fashion.

Other Summer Treat: http://philippines.knoji.com/halohalo-traditional-summer-treat-in-the-philippines/

Truly Tatak Pinoy – Sorbetes as One of the

Filipino Street Food
 On a hot, sunny day, the sound of the handheld bell would be heard among
the streets in Manila, indicating that “Mamang Sorbetero” (or Ice Cream man)
is peddling around the town to offer his sorbetes or dirty ice cream.

Sorbetes, as the Filipino ice cream is called, got its name of dirty ice cream
because it is usually sold along the streets in wooden push carts; thus,
exposing it to open air. It is also considered as such because it is usually
home-made by the vendors themselves or by small scale entrepreneurs.
When compared with the commercially-made ice creams where stricter quality
controls were enforced, the dirty ice creams would naturally be cheaper in
price (Php5 to Php10 a cone/bun) when we include the ingredients and the
process into the picture. Unlike sorbet and any other ice desserts made with
dairy milk; Sorbetes clamors its unique taste for different flavors of mango,
ube, chocolate, cheese, avocado, melon and strawberry (for the common
ones) because of the usual coconut milk and cassava flour included in the
recipe as well as less milk and more water in the formula.

The term “sorbetes” came from the Spanish verb, sorbeter, which means to
suck, as one would have to suck out the flavor of the ice cream. Spaniards
had introduced sorbetes to Filipinos and only the “rich” can afford it. As
according to Jose Torres’ online article entitled “From Sorbete to Sorbetes:
The Ice Cream’s Journey Into Pinoy Food History,” Filipinos were resourceful
and creative enough to prepare homemade ice cream by mixing egg yolks
and fresh carabao milk and simmer it over low fire until it thickens. Flavors
were added during the cooking process and then it was poured over
garapiñeras, which are round metal canisters inside a wooden drum with a
crank, where ice and rock salt maintains the cold temperature of the sorbetes
until ready to be consumed. When the Americans took over the country, ice
creams were then commercialized and ice cream brands were more
accepted, leaving the homemade Filipino sorbetes out of the competition.
However, the sorbetes still thrived during fiestas and vendors peddled it into
the streets; thus, confirming its name for dirty ice cream.
During the late seventies up to the eighties, the song “Mamang Sorbetero”
became a popular hit to promote the cultured Filipino ice cream. Sung by
Celeste Legaspi, it speaks of an unknown fan asking Mamang Sorbetero of
his name and exhibiting excitement among children whenever he would pass
by. Nowadays, it would normally be played on educational programs to
promote the Filipino dessert and on school programs (during Buwan ng Wika
or Filipino Month) where little kids would go dancing in Philippine costumes
with girls holding their skirts and boys clutching their native hats just like what
Mamang Sorbetero would do during the summer season.

I remember when I was growing up when we would hear the jingling sound of
a bell indicating the arrival of the ice cream man. We would then go out and
huddle around his colorful pushcart with two large wooden wheels just to pick
a flavor. He would open the lid of the three metal canisters and would let us
peek in while scooping our chosen flavor into either these tissue-wrapped
serving options: apa – may it be the orange wafer cone or the cream-colored
sugar cone, the bread bun or a mini-plastic cup and handing it to us. At other
times, Mamang Sorbetero would serve us the ice cream with only one flavor
or a mixture of it to our desired containers.

Now, Filipino entrepreneurs like Leila Palma of Sorbetiya have ventured into
creating a new look with the Filipino sorbetes. Other entrepreneurial blogs
also offer trainings and how to make sorbetes like EntrePinoys, Atbp and
Pinoy – Negosyo – Techs where even a simple housewife can create these
Filipino treats. Major ice cream factories in the country such as Nestle and
Magnolia have also ventured in commercializing the Filipino ice cream,
drawing the attention of the young and old to acquire sorbetes from stationary
and sanitary sources.

Though Manong Sorbetero is now rarely seen with his colorful wooden push
cart in the streets of Manila and the provinces but instead in a side-car type of
bicycle with colorful umbrella nowadays, it surely is still one of the street foods
with a definite TATAK PINOY on its own. ☺