The History of Tutti Frutti Ice Cream

Tutti Frutti ice cream got its start in Italy. In fact, the name “tutti fruitti” means “all fruits” and was a reference to a medley of candied or dried fruits that were finely chopped and often soaked in brandy. While the mixture was originally popularized in cakes and pies, Italians eventually began adding it to vanilla ice cream, creating a brand-new flavor. Tutti Frutti ice cream eventually made its way to the United States with Italian immigrants. While there is a story that claims a Kentucky ice cream maker named Roy Motherhead invented the flavor in 1950 and named it in honor of his daughter, records show that Tutti Frutti ice cream was already very popular in the United States and recipes appear in American cookbooks dating as far back as 1874. There is even a newspaper ad from 1888 that mentions the flavor! Tutti Frutti ice cream increased in popularity throughout the 1900s, with Little Richard even recording a song of the same name in 1956. The ice cream became especially popular between the 1970s and 1990s due to marketing campaigns by popular ice cream brands, including Gino Ginelli and Carvel. Today, the flavor is much harder to find, but it remains a nostalgic favorite for many.