History of Ice Cream

History of Ice Cream 

For most people, the word ice cream equals happiness. We eat ice cream when we are going through heartbreak, celebrating a birthday, or just whenever we want (we don’t need an excuse to have a scoop or two!) But have you ever wondered how ice cream was invented?

First Ice Cream 

The first ice cream-like sweet was invented in China in 200 BC. The Chinese nobility thought the hot rice pudding was not refreshing on hot sunny days. So they began importing snow from the mountains and mixing it with rice and milk. Nobles called this mixture ‘milk ice’. Chinese started adding fruit extracts into the mixture. Given the circumstances of those times, making ice cream and transporting it was really difficult. Only wealthy people had access to ice cream.

Today, China is the fastest-growing market of ice cream consumers in the world. Its favorite flavors are black sesame and red beans.

Almost Modern Ice Cream

For centuries, Italy was China’s gateway to Europe and the rest of the world. Italians imported goods from China and distributed them through Europe. They didn’t just import goods. They also imported ideas, new technologies, and of course, recipes :). Ice cream was one of them. Just like in China, only nobles had access to ice cream in Italy. Italian nobles kept their recipe as a secret for a while.

In medieval Italy, ice cream was served in royal weddings. In Catherine De Medici’s wedding to Prince Henri of France (later King Henri II), ice cream was the highlight of the deserts. One of the ice creams served was made by replacing milk with sweetened milk. Which later became the world’s first ‘modern’ ice cream.

Until the 16th century, ice cream was not that popular. A Spanish physician living in Rome discovered a new technique to freeze the mixture faster and make the mixture more solid. Few years after this discovery, ‘bombe glacee’ hit every fancy table in Italy.

Modern Ice Cream 

In the 19th century, Italian immigrants took so many recipes to the new world — pizza, lasagna, focaccia, tiramisu, biscotti, and undoubtedly ice cream. Americans took ice cream making to a different level. With their advanced technology, they mass-produced ice creams. American (Philadelphia style) ice cream is undoubtedly one of the most popular. Shortly after this, ice cream became a big part of the American culture, especially in Hollywood. Characters in movies often eat ice cream when they are going through breakups.

America’s Top Ten Favorite Ice Cream Flavors*

1. Vanilla
2. Chocolate
3. Cookies N’ Cream
4. Mint Chocolate Chip
5. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
6. Buttered Pecan
7. Cookie Dough
8. Strawberry
9. Moose Tracks
10. Neapolitan

* According to a national survey conducted by IDFA (International Dairy Foods Association) in 2017.

References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_cream

https://www.idfa.org/the-history-of-ice-cream

https://www.foodunfolded.com/article/the-history-of-ice-cream-from-milk-ice-to-magnums