Italian Ice is kind of like flavored shaved ice or snow cones, in case you're wondering (I know I was). But, according to the Wiki Encyclopedia, Italian Ice is way more than just syrup added to ice. It has a much smoother and softer texture than shaved ice, and the flavoring, which is usually fruit juices, are mixed in and frozen with the ice, rather than right before you buy it, like when you do snow cones and shaved ice.

I bought Luigi's Italian Ice, threw it in the freezer, and the next night, I realized my dilemma. The thing was frozen solid - harder than a rock! I hadn't thought of that, but thank goodness for directions. At the bottom of the side panel it tells you, "To soften, if desired - Microwave!" Duh - I would have thought of that eventually. In 15 seconds, it was still hard, but soft enough for me to start digging in!

And dig in I did, because Luigis is dee-lish! (delicious if you don't get my abbreviation). The ice was smooth going in and oh so fruity. Eating one 6 ounce cup took me about 10 minutes - spooning the ice, sucking on it and thoroughly enjoying it - the longer something lasts, the less you'll feel like grabbing something else to continue snacking.

There are 120 calories in Luigi's Italian Ice, and on the packaging it says, "fat free, dairy free, and cholesterol free" but what it isn't free of is sugar - 24 grams of it. That's the only reason this is not getting 5 IateApie kisses!

One box of 6 costs $2.50 on sale and it's so worth it. Even though I would like less sugar, Luigis is a must at least once for the summer - less sugar and I would probably be living on this all summer long.