The summer season has arrived, bringing with it sweltering heat and dry weather, conditions that have become all too familiar in the Philippines. Many escape to the beaches, while others seek refuge in air-conditioned malls. Some turn to ice-cold soft drinks or iced coffee from a nearby café. But for generations of Filipinos, there is one treat that remains a simple yet satisfying way to beat the heat: ice cream.
Not just any ice cream, though. This isn’t the mass-produced variety found in supermarkets. This is sorbetes, a dessert as iconic as dried mangoes and as ubiquitous as the jeepney. Often, though mistakenly, called “dirty ice cream,” sorbetes holds a special place in the hearts of many Filipinos, evoking childhood summers, the excitement of hearing the familiar jingle of the sorbetero’s cart, and the simple joy of savoring a cold, sweet treat under the sun.
Despite the Philippines’ tropical climate, ice has been available in the country since at least 1847, when the former Spanish colony received a shipment of 250 tons of ice from the American trading firm Russell & Sturgis. The following year, the company secured tax-free rights from the Spanish government to import ice, eventually building one of Asia’s first ice plants. With ice no longer a luxury reserved for the elite, frozen desserts like sorbetes soon found their way into Filipino food culture.
By the late 19th century, sorbetes had become a beloved delicacy. Its presence at Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo’s presidential inauguration banquet in 1898 cemented its status as a part of Filipino culinary tradition.
Originally, sorbetes was made with cow’s milk, much like Western ice creams. But as demand grew, local makers adapted the recipe to be more affordable for the masses. They replaced cow’s milk with carabao milk and coconut milk, adding cassava flour as a stabilizer. These changes gave sorbetes its distinct texture — rich, yet slightly grainy — setting it apart from its Western counterparts.
Unlike store-bought ice cream, which is typically sold in tubs, sorbetes is served in colorful sugar cones, crispy waffle cones, or sandwiched in soft bread, creating a uniquely Filipino ice cream sandwich. Its flavors reflect the country’s tropical abundance, with classics like mango, mantecado (butter), ube (purple yam), queso helado (cheese), buko pandan (young coconut with screwpine leaves), and avocado. Lesser-known but equally Filipino flavors include pinipig (toasted pounded rice), melon, and jackfruit. Over the years, new flavors like cookies and cream, chocolate, and mocha have joined the mix, catering to evolving tastes.
The nickname “dirty ice cream” might imply questionable quality, but the term is a lighthearted misnomer. It arose simply because sorbetes is sold by street vendors rather than in commercial ice cream shops. The name stuck over time, even though many vendors take great care in preparing and handling their products.
Sorbetes carts, often brightly painted and adorned with hand-lettered signs, remain a familiar sight in neighborhoods across the country. The ice cream is kept cold in metal canisters, insulated with layers of shaved ice and salt, an old but effective cooling method that has been used for generations.
While some may see sorbetes as just a humble street snack, its story tells a deeper tale of Filipino resilience and ingenuity. Like many of the country’s beloved foods, it blends native ingredients with foreign influences, evolving into something uniquely Filipino. It is a piece of cultural heritage, a symbol of simple joys, and a connection to the past.
There’s no better excuse to enjoy a scoop (or two) of this classic frozen treat. Whether served in a cone, a cup, or between slices of pan de sal, each bite carries with it a history as rich as its flavor. And the next time you hear the familiar chime of a sorbetero’s cart rolling down the street, don’t just see it as a passing vendor but see it as a keeper of tradition.
