The slush place is open!

Santarpio's is one of the two most unique things about East Boston, but the venerable pizza joint is open virtually every day of the year. The slush that is sold out of a doorway on Bennington Street is the other, and its presence is fleeting. Today the door was open, and I purchased a cup of the sweet goodness. My report? Same as it ever was.

The actual name of the place is apparently "It's Slush Time Again," but if you grew up in Eastie you probably refer to it as "East Boston Slush," which may or may not have been its name back 20 to 30 years ago when we lined up several people deep waiting for the next batch to be ready. Sometimes now we just call it "the slush place."

The doorway I write of is located next to the Golden Fin at 55 Bennington Street, and it serves up a fine, cold, lemony, sugary snack -- the likes of which I've only tasted at one other place: from a vendor on the main set of steps in the Italian town of Positano, on the Mediterranean coast. In southern Italy it is a popular treat called "granita."

Back here in Eastie one can only get a cupful of the sweet stuff from the slush place, which is open irregular hours during June, July and August. Don't be fooled into buying from Richie's Slush or Slush King. Their concoctions fall way short. Do yourself a favor and get the real thing.