Jeremiah’s Italian Ice is leaning hard into the sweet-meets-heat trend with a limited-time drop that sounds like it was built for adventurous taste buds (and social media reactions). The brand’s newest “Secret Scoop” mystery flavor, Island Fire Italian Ice, launched March 23, 2026 and blends tropical fruit flavors with a serious pepper-powered kick—an unexpected combo that Jeremiah’s is positioning as a celebratory finale to its anniversary run.

What is Island Fire?

According to the company, Island Fire starts with a bright, tropical base—passion fruit, guava, and orange—then finishes with lingering heat. The spice comes from Hawaiian Hot T’s POG2 hot sauce, a sauce the release notes has been featured on the popular YouTube interview series “Hot Ones.” The sauce brings a trio of peppers into the mix: habanero, scorpion, and ghost peppers.

In other words: it’s a frozen treat that aims to hit you with “vacation flavors” first, then surprise you on the back end.

How long is it available?

This is a true blink-and-you’ll-miss-it release. Jeremiah’s says Island Fire is available for one week only starting March 23, or while supplies last, at all Jeremiah’s Italian Ice locations nationwide.

Part of a bigger anniversary campaign

Island Fire also serves as the capstone to Jeremiah’s “30 Years of Ice” campaign, which has featured a different Italian ice flavor each week since the start of the year to celebrate the brand’s 30th anniversary.

“Jeremiah’s has spent the past 30 years creating fun, memorable flavors for our guests, so we wanted the finale of our anniversary celebration to be something truly unexpected,” CEO Michael Keller said in the announcement. “Island Fire captures that spirit perfectly.”

How to order it (and the best way to try it)

You can order Island Fire as a standalone Italian Ice, but Jeremiah’s is also nudging fans to try it layered with its Soft Ice Cream to create a Jelati—the brand’s signature combination.

If you’re on the fence about heat in dessert, the Jelati route may be the move: the creaminess can mellow the spice while still letting the fruit-forward flavors come through.

Find a location

To locate a shop near you, Jeremiah’s directs guests to its store locator here: https://jeremiahsice.com/.

About Jeremiah’s Italian Ice

Jeremiah’s Italian Ice was founded in 1996 and began franchising in 2019. The company says it now has 160+ locations across Florida, Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, Colorado, Nevada, Alabama, Tennessee, and Texas, and is continuing to expand across the Southern United States.

STM Daily News Food & Drink will keep an eye out for what brands do next as sweet-heat flavors keep crossing over from hot sauce culture into desserts and frozen treats.

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Source: PR Newswire press release

External links:

• Jeremiah’s Italian Ice (store locator)

STM Daily News’ Food and Drink section highlights the stories, trends, flavors, and events shaping today’s food culture. From recipes to restaurant news, it keeps readers connected to what’s fresh and worth tasting.

Last Updated on April 18, 2026 by Daily News Staff

(Feature Impact) As the weather breaks and spring brings increased opportunities for families to get outside, activities, adventures and jam-packed calendars abound. All those special moments spent at the park, the sports field or in the backyard may leave lasting memories, but they can also leave you feeling short on time in the kitchen.

Bring a little moment of happiness to busy family mealtimes during the spring season with The Little Potato Company’s line of easy-to-prepare Little Potatoes. They come pre-washed, require no peeling and are small enough that they don’t need to be cut, allowing for less time in the kitchen and more family time around the table as the days get longer – no extra spring cleaning required. For an added helping of convenience, their Microwave Ready Little Potato Kits come with delicious seasoning packs; simply pop into the microwave, sprinkle on the included seasoning and enjoy.

For a fun after-school or game-night snack, these Crispy Air Fryer Potato Nuggets pair perfectly with a variety of delicious dips. The air fryer cooks the potatoes in minutes, creating a crispy snack with minimal prep – no chopping or peeling needed.

Or you can make a delicious side dish a cinch with pesto, which adds a bright, flavorful twist to a classic in these Basil Pesto Mashed Potatoes. They pair perfectly with everyday family meals using Little Potatoes that require no chopping or peeling thanks to their naturally thin skins, helping cut down on prep time while bringing fresh flavor to the dinner table.

To help fuel families’ spring vacation plans and everyday meals, The Little Potato Company is giving you a chance to enter a sweepstakes through May 25 to win a $10,000 travel voucher with additional prizes including 10 grocery gift cards valued at $1,000.

Enter the sweepstakes at TheLittleSpringtimeSweeptakes.com, and find more ways to make spring meals a breeze by visiting LittlePotatoes.com.

Crispy Air Fryer Potato Nuggets and Dip

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 24 minutes

Servings: 4

Potatoes:

• 1          cup all-purpose flour
  
• 1          teaspoon salt
  
• 1          teaspoon garlic powder
  
• 1/2       teaspoon pepper
  
• 1          cup milk
  
• 1 1/2    cups panko breadcrumbs
  
• 1 1/2    pounds Little Potatoes

Chimichurri:

• 1          bunch cilantro
  
• 1          bunch parsley
  
• 3          limes, juice only
  
• 2          tablespoons honey
  
• 2          teaspoons salt
  
• 1/2       teaspoon pepper
  
• 1          teaspoon chili flakes
  
• 1          cup canola oil

1. Heat air fryer to 390 F.
2. To make potatoes: In a shallow bowl, combine flour, salt, garlic powder and pepper. Whisk in milk until smooth.
3. Place panko in a separate shallow bowl.
4. Working in batches, coat potatoes in batter then toss in panko until fully coated.
5. Place potatoes in the air fryer and cook 24 minutes, flipping halfway.
6. To make chimichurri: In a blender, blend cilantro, parsley, lime juice, honey, salt, pepper, chili flakes and canola oil until smooth.
7. Serve potato nuggets with chimichurri.

Basil Pesto Mashed Potatoes

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Servings: 4

• 1 1/2    pounds Little Potatoes
  
•             water
  
• 1          teaspoon salt, plus additional for seasoning, to taste, divided
  
• 2 1/2    cups fresh basil
  
• 4          cloves garlic
  
• 1/3       cup pine nuts
  
• 1/2       cup Parmesan, grated
  
• 2/3       cup olive oil
  
• pepper, to taste
  
• 1/2       cup milk
  
• 2          tablespoons butter

1. Add potatoes to a large pot and cover with water. Add 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
2. In a food processor, place basil, garlic, pine nuts and Parmesan. Add oil and pulse until mixed then season with salt and pepper, to taste.
3. In a small saucepot over low heat, heat milk and butter until butter is melted and milk is steaming.
4. Once potatoes are cooked, strain and transfer to a medium mixing bowl.
5. Using a potato masher, smash potatoes with milk and butter mixture then season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in pesto mixture.

SOURCE:

Little Potato Company

STM Daily News’ Food and Drink section highlights the stories, trends, flavors, and events shaping today’s food culture. From recipes to restaurant news, it keeps readers connected to what’s fresh and worth tasting.

Last Updated on April 18, 2026 by Daily News Staff

Enjoy a Lighter Soup On Cool Spring Days

(Family Features) Permanent heat may be on the way, but spring still offers plenty of chilly, rainy opportunities for a warmup from the inside-out. Serve a comforting bowl of Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup to keep spring chills away. Discover more seasonal recipes at Culinary.net.

Watch video to see how to make this recipe!

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”
Servings: 4-6

• 2          carrots
• 2          celery stalks
• 3          tablespoons butter
• 2          cups cooked, chopped chicken
• 1/3       cup lemon juice
• 2          teaspoons lemon pepper
• 6          cups broth
• 1          cup orzo
• 1          tablespoon garlic powder
• 1          tablespoon onion powder
• 1          tablespoon thyme
• 1          tablespoon sugar
• 1          cup heavy cream
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• cucumber sandwiches, for serving

1. Chop carrots and celery. In pot, saute with butter.
2. In bowl, mix chicken with lemon juice and lemon pepper then set aside.
3. After carrots and celery are tender, add broth and orzo to pot. Then add garlic powder, onion powder, thyme and sugar. Simmer 10 minutes then add chicken and cream; simmer about 5 minutes.
4. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with cucumber sandwiches.

SOURCE:

Culinary.net