Free Carvel Ice Cream Pies in Union Square NOW

To celebrate their 70th anniversary, Carvel Ice Cream is attempting to build the world's largest ice cream pie in Union Square right now. They started at 9AM, and Gothamist hears they are giving out free pies!

Carvel is holding a number of promotions for the anniversary starting this Friday, May 28, through Memorial, Monday, May 31, such as:

-$.70 for a small soft serve ice cream cone; each additional size will be an additional $.70.
- Buy any boxed novelty item, and get the second one for just $.70.
- Buy one classic soft serve sundae, and get the second one for $.70.
- $7.70 for a Deluxe Sundae Dinner Cake.

There are also other promotions that run through the summer. If anyone gets pictures of the Union Square event, let Gothamist know; Jake refuses to go on the grounds that he doesn't have enough Lactaid. [Via Shannan - thanks]

As many people who grew up in areas where there were Carvel ice cream stores, the theme song was "Car-vel...Fresh...Ice...Cream," and the most beloved ice cream cakes were Fudgie the Whale and Cookie Puss, who must the coolest ice cream cake ever. As legend has it, Cookie Puss was a St. Patrick's Day cake ("Cookie O'Puss"). The Beastie Boys even wrote a song called Cookie Puss. And, as one commenter points out, Tom Carvel invented soft-serve ice cream AND did the voice-overs for the Carvel commericals.

Jon Snyder, founder of Ciao Bello, who now runs Il Laboratorio del Gelato, has Carvel roots: His grandparents were franchisees.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in Food on May 25, 2004 10:48 AM

Comments [rss]

Jen

Honestly, I love love love our commenters - all of you have so much great information to share!

Jennifer

In case anyone wants to do any academic research...The records of the Carvel Corporation are located at the Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. (View finding aid.) There are photographs, print advertisements, and loads of commercials, as well as training videos and an instruction manual on how to construct the Fudgie the Whale cake. The Archives Center has other ice cream and food related collections, including the Krispy Kreme Records.

Ron Mwangaguhunga

I respectfully take back the unfortunate comment that the Cookie O Puss mold is the same one as the Pudgie the whale template. My bad.

Michael Gehrig

I manage a Carvel on Long Island and I'd like to clear up a few things. First off, there are too many molds to count. Out specialty cakes don't sell nearly as well as our Flower cakes do.

The 70-Cent Promotion will NOT be honored at most Carvels.

The rising costs of Vanilla Beans, buttermilk and dairy in general makes this promotion impossible. Corporate Carvel has been driving their franchises into the ground. My store has been open since 1936, through a series of different owners. Due to these continued costs and promotions, we may be forced to close our doors.

Striver

All this Carvel talk and no mention of either Flying Saucers or my favorite molded speciality cake, Cupie The Chocolate Nut.

Ghost of Tom Carvel

"And, not to be catty, but the template they used on the Cookie O Puss is exactly the same as the one they use on Fudgie, the eonly difference is the design on the frosting. With that lack of creativity going on, I'm not eating."

Ron, you talk a lot but have no clue what you talk of. A quick glance at a Fudgie the Whale or a Cookie Puss reveals two very different molds are being used.

Cookie Puss was basically the mold they used for flower bouquet themed cakes--used for Mother's Day--turned upside down with an ice cream cone for a nose and cookies for the eyes.

Fudgie the Whale was a whale. But flip him 90 degrees and paint a bearded face on it and it's Santa Claus!

Those are the two basic molds. So don't go disrespecting thing you don't know about Mr. Mwhganananaagagagagagagagagggaagalalala

Ron Mwangaguhunga

I don't know what all the fuss is about, Tom Carvel freaked the hell out of me when I was a kid. And the poster who used the pseudonym, "Ghost of Tom Carvel" gave me a taste of the sinister fear that was my childhood. Every time those low rent commercials came on, with the sepulchral, asthmatic voice of Tom Carvel, pleading with me to buy a "Fudgie the Whale," or a "Cookie O' Puss, " I just freaked out, man, i couldn't handle it.

And what about that voice-that-could-break-glass Cookie O' Puss? Was that supposed to be cute?

And, not to be catty, but the template they used on the Cookie O Puss is exactly the same as the one they use on Fudgie, the eonly difference is the design on the frosting. With that lack of creativity going on, I'm not eating.

I, for one, will be far, far away from Union Square.

Don

You big tease...whatever is going to happen isn't happening yet. I went RUNNING out there only to find one guy hosing down the pavement. Maybe they're going to build their ice cream castle right on the street....

I'll check back in about three hours.

Jellyguy

Tom Carvel took his name from his town of origin, Karvelas, the same tiny Greek village from which my mother hails.

I'll assume he changed it when he emigrated to the US, like so many Greeks, to avoid problems with names like Papahatzimichalopoulos.

diggum

can't forget a nice reference to both Fudgie, Cookie Puss, and Cookie O'Puss by Chris on an episode of the Family Guy.

Jen

Thanks, growler. I do love soft serve best.

Ghost of Tom Carvel

Growler, what do you expect? Today Gothamist interviewed a dog! Way to go!

Cookie Puss would not stand for this!

growler

Shame on you, Gothamist. How can you post about Carvel without posting about its founder, Tom Carvel. He only INVENTED the soft serve machine. And tortured a generation with his gravelly voice on commercials.

Ghost of Tom Carvel

Fuck the new corporate Carvel! Ever since they were bought out years back, they lost their personality. If this were like the old Carvel, they would be building the world's largest Cookie Puss!