Edmonton’s newest ice cream shop features Filipino-inspired flavours

Filipino sorbetes, a popular street food in the Philippines, serve as the model for DRTY Ice Cream.

“We’ve been able to create the space where it’s not just about ice cream, it’s about reminding people of their childhood or teaching people about Filipino culture,” said Abby Ulanimo, Owner of DRTY Ice Cream.

Traditionally, dirty ice cream is made by hand and sold on busy city streets from colourful wooden pushcarts. Since the ice cream was made and served in the city streets, locals jokingly called it “dirty ice cream,” and the name remained.

Sorbetes originated in the early 1900s during the Spanish colonial period and have become a cherished symbol of Filipino culture and nostalgia. A sorbetero is a traditional Filipino ice cream vendor who sells this beloved treat.

When the sorbetero arrives in nearby communities, their unique calls or musical bell chimes announce their approach, attracting the interest of both adults and children.

“When I was a kid, my parents would just say, ‘No, don’t eat that. That’s dirty ice cream because it’s from the street, you don’t know where it came from,’ kind of thing,” said Ulanimo.

Ulanimo, a Canadian Filipino with a love for ice cream, never intended to make it herself until a trip to the Philippines in 2019 changed everything.

She discovered a strong love for street food and found her roots while travelling, which finally motivated her to quit the corporate world and focus entirely on her ice cream business.

While working at her accounting job in 2020, Ulanimo started DRTY Ice Cream as a side business, stocking freezers at markets and festivals.

As the business began to peak, Ulanimo faced the most difficult time of her life.

“So we were doing that for a couple of years, and then unfortunately, I was involved in a few car accidents. And because I was kind of like the main person doing all the stuff, it really took a hit on the company, and I had to make the decision to like, slow down and just actually stop,” Ulanimo explained.

Despite her challenges, Ulanimo took the chance to secure the spot offered to them at Station Park, which allowed her to continue expanding her ice cream company. “You know what? Let’s do it,” Ulanimo added.

One of the menu features the Sorbabies—four tiny scoops of ice cream served in a cardboard holder with a thumb hole. They were inspired by Thumbs Up, a well-known ice cream shop in the Philippines.

They also offer pints for those who want to enjoy their flavours at home.

“I feel like in comparison to other spots in the city, I feel like it’s a collective effort. It’s not just like why you should come here versus why you should come there. I feel like every space has its own experience, and I want to highlight it and encourage people, like they had some dairy-free options,” Abby explained. “They’ve got great options, and we have to build that collaboration for people to support all Filipino businesses, and I think we’re differentiating ourselves based solely on infusing that Pinoy in our concept,” Ulanimo added.

In the Philippines, it is traditionally prepared using coconut milk or kalabaw (water buffalo) milk, frequently mixed with fruit.

---

Comments