Coney Island Ice Cream

Coney Island Ice Cream. Four words that bring back memories of Baguio. After Magnolia's Flavor of the Month, we have the almost inexhaustible flavors of Coney Island. How we saved for a weekly dollop of New York, New York, Bubble Gum, Peaches Melba, Pistachio and many others. It is especially fitting to have it in Baguio, our Little America. Every July 4 then, they would have everything at 50 percent!!! You should see the queues during what was then an official holiday, RP-US Friendship Day. Remember that (actually ugly) red, white and blue logo? Later, they set up Coney island in Camp John Hay.
The main complaint now is that when John Hay was "Filipinized", pati ice cream at the kiosk also became Pinoy.
Anyway, when I went to the US, I actually looked for the original Coney Island Ice Cream. I can not find a single one. All I know is that Coney Island in New York was where the ice cream cone was invented.
As it turned out, there was no franchise. Coney Island is 100 percent Pinoy. It was started by the Trillana family in Manila 30 years ago. Of course, it played on our fascination with Americana.
Later, Purefoods Inc. bought Coney Island, kaya nga nagkaroon pa ng Coney Island Ice Creamers ata sa PBA. I heard the Trillanas own the Go Nuts Donuts, which is the Krispy Kreme version naman. This is now very popular in Manila and I will not be surprised if it
Trillanas also own Whammos, which is a copy of Hostess Twinkies.
Say what you want to say but they got the scoop on us instead of the other way around.