Water Ice

Ike the Bagel Man, the avuncular South Street luncheonette/water-ice-stand owner who has sliced more bagels and kidded with more customers than you can shake a shtick at, is a new person. Gone is Ike Silverberg, thoroughly bored retiree. Last Friday, after three years out of business, Silverberg reopened his humble Bagelry, the sandwich business he had run at 238 South St. for 12 years. What you now see is a man with a smile on his face, cream cheese on his hands and a quip on his lips.

The famous Rosati water ice name is still on the lid, but inside the old Philly favorite is a new twist - an icy blue-raspberry cotton candy swirl - that's been catching the attention of children on a hot summer day. "Kids buy with their eyes," said Rich Trotter, one of four partners who last year bought S.R. Rosati Inc., a water ice company that dates to 1912. So why hide what's inside, asks Trotter, who's putting a new spin on the slushy treat this summer with such offerings as the blue cotton candy, lemon-lime swirl and mango-pina colada in clear 10-ounce cups instead of the traditional white cups.

WATER ICE IS A cherished summer institution in Philly, and those of us who skip dairy, whether for ethical, health or other concerns, can appreciate this cool vegan treat. Sorbet, Popsicles, frozen fruit bars and the like are also delish. But let's face it: "You can always have water ice [or sorbet]" is the cool-treat equivalent of "you can always have a salad. " Nothing against salad or water ice, but we sometimes want that singular richness and flavor associated with ice cream.

Here, it's hot, have a water ice. Rose A. Moretti, 64, handed one over to Natalie Prudente, 3, while Natalie's mother, Jan Rossi, worked inside an ice cream/water ice shop. This was yesterday in the 6100 block of Elmwood Avenue in Southwest Philadelphia.

Soft pretzels are a twisted pleasure and cheesesteaks a cholesterol conglomeration, both too enervating to chew on a steamy July day. No, the genuine icon of Philadelphia edibles is a summertime tradition dating to the turn of the century here, born among the Sicilians and Neapolitans. It is not bitten or chomped, but slurped and licked; or sometimes, by the faint of heart, consumed with a spoon or sucked through a straw, a cool relief from ascending temperatures. Ah, water ice. "It's refreshing.

Yo! Does chocolate water ice have real chocolate in it, or would it be an OK treat for someone who's cutting down on fats? What's in water ice, anyway? The fudge factor on this week's answer is going to be higher than usual, due to the guarded nature of local vendors' water ice recipes. "Without giving away any family secrets," said Jonathan Menta of Morrone's, "I'm going to have to say there is the potential (for chocolate) to be higher in calories. " Flavors other than chocolate, he explained, have exactly three ingredients: water, sugar and "secret formula.

The Conshohocken Fire Department Carnival last week raised money for Conshohocken Fire Company No. 2 and Washington Fire Company No. 1. Enjoying her water ice was Katie Donovan (above), 5, while Mark Trimber (right, foreground) and his mom squirted water guns for prizes.

Bernard Parker of West Philadelphia cools off with a water-ice at the Philadelphia County Fair at Memorial Hall in Fairmount Park yesterday. The fair, which costs $5 and is free to children under 7, continues in the park until Sunday. If you drive, parking costs $5, too.