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Readers: Do you say ‘jimmies’ or ‘sprinkles’?
In New England, many are passionate about the terminology surrounding sprinkles.
It would likely be shocking to step foot in an ice cream shop and discover no variety of sprinkles are available on the menu.
For many, this small, crunchy topping is a beloved addition to a delicious scoop of ice cream on a hot summer day. In New England, however, many are passionate about the terminology surrounding sprinkles.
New Englanders often refer to sprinkles as “jimmies,” but the origins of the name are unclear. According to recent Boston.com reporting, there are quite a few theories as to how the term “jimmies” came about, from donations to the Jimmy Fund to being a namesake for a candy company Just Born employee who operated the sprinkle machine.
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There is also a theory the nickname has racist origins, as some have connected the name to Jim Crow laws. However, several researchers deemed the theory as “unproven,” as they could not find substantive evidence for it.
There is also debate surrounding whether rainbow sprinkles are considered jimmies too. On a Boston.com Facebook post, the comments appeared to come to the consensus that only chocolate sprinkles are jimmies.
We want to hear from you: Do you say jimmies or sprinkles? Are all varieties of the topping called jimmies, or is it only just one kind? Fill out the survey below or send an email to [email protected], and your response may appear in a future Boston.com article.
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