Hokey pokey (ice cream) facts for kids
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Honeycomb ice cream with toffee and sauce
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| Type | Ice cream |
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| Place of origin | New Zealand |
| Region or state | New Zealand |
| Main ingredients | Vanilla ice cream, honeycomb toffee |
Hokey pokey is a super popular ice cream flavor from New Zealand! It's made with creamy vanilla ice cream mixed with crunchy pieces of honeycomb toffee. In New Zealand, "hokey pokey" is actually the name for that honeycomb candy itself.
Long ago, before 1980, the candy pieces in the ice cream were solid chunks. But then, a famous ice cream company called Tip-Top changed it to smaller, rounder bits of honeycomb.
This yummy flavor is the second most popular ice cream in New Zealand, right after plain vanilla! It's so famous there that it's considered a classic example of "Kiwiana" – things that are uniquely New Zealand. You can even find it sold in places like Japan and other Pacific islands!
Contents
What is Hokey Pokey?
Hokey pokey ice cream is a special treat. It combines smooth vanilla ice cream with crunchy pieces of honeycomb toffee. Honeycomb toffee is a light, airy candy that's full of tiny bubbles. It tastes sweet and a bit like caramel.
In New Zealand, the term "hokey pokey" has been used for honeycomb candy since the late 1800s. The ice cream version came along later, in the middle of the 1900s.
Where Did the Name Come From?
The exact reason why "hokey pokey" became the name for honeycomb candy in New Zealand isn't fully known. However, the name "hokey pokey" has an interesting history with ice cream in other parts of the world too!
Ice Cream Street Vendors
A long time ago, in the 1800s and early 1900s, "hokey pokey" was a slang term for ice cream in general. This was especially true in places like New York City and parts of Great Britain. Street vendors, often from Italy, would sell ice cream from carts. They were sometimes called "hokey pokey men."
These vendors would often have a special song or chant to sell their ice cream. One song from the 1930s in Liverpool went: "Hokey pokey penny a lump, that's the stuff to make ye jump."
Possible Word Origins
The term "hokey pokey" might have come from different places. One idea is that it's related to the magic phrase "hocus-pocus." This could be how the name started in New Zealand.
For ice cream outside New Zealand, the name might have come from Italian phrases. One idea is that it came from "oh che poco" which means "oh how little." Another idea is "ecco un poco" which means "here is a (little) piece."
Hokey Pokey in Pop Culture
Hokey pokey isn't just an ice cream flavor; it's also appeared in songs and businesses!
- Hokey Pokey (The Ice Cream Man) is a song from 1975 by the music duo Richard & Linda Thompson.
- There's an ice cream company called Hokey Pokey's Ice Creamery in Corning, New York.
- In the movie "Topsy Turvy", a character mentions "Italian hokey pokey" on a hot day.
- You can even find an ice cream shop named Hokey Pokey in Berlin, Germany.
