Back in 1984, US President Ronald Regan decreed every third Sunday in July as National Ice Cream Day and the whole month of July as National Ice Cream Month. The world’s love affair with ice cream, however, started long before the 1980s. Below are some fun, but lesser known historical facts that will take your appreciation for ice cream to a whole new level.
Alexander the Great (336-323 B.C) might have enjoyed honey flavored ice while conquering the known world. Meanwhile, the Roman emperor Nero (54-86 A.D.) is said to have adored a concoction of snow flavored with fruits and juices. Yet, according to historians, the earliest evidence of anything resembling the consistency of ice cream as it is known today, originated from China during the Tang period (618-907 A.D.). The process of using salt with ice to reduce the freezing point, which was necessary to make ice cream in those days, had only reached Europe by the 1500s. Ice made with sweetened milk, the precursor to today’s modern ice cream, first appeared in Naples, Italy in 1664.
Prior to the advent of insulated ice houses in 1800 and the large-scale adoption of electric freezers by the early 20th century, ice cream was largely considered a delicacy for the rich. The ice needed to make ice cream had to be farmed, harvested or and sometimes imported depending on the country. Wealthy people built ice houses on their properties to store ice to make ice cream. Up until 1843 and the advent of the ice cream machine, ice cream recipes were also highly guarded secrets. The first English recipe was not published publicly until 1718.
Regan wasn’t the only US president to love ice cream. According to records kept by a New York merchant, George Washington, the first US president spent $200 on ice cream during the summer of 1790. Likewise, inventory records of Washington’s Mount Vernon home showed he owned “two pewter ice cream pots”. President Thomas Jefferson, rumored to have an 18-step recipe for an ice cream delicacy, loved ice cream just the same.
President Washington and Jefferson represent only a small portion of Americans who love ice cream. Below are a few statistics that show how much Americans today love ice cream :
The bottom line is that everyone loves ice cream. July temperatures make the month perfect to indulge, but everyone appreciates ice cream all year round. So why not offer Dippin’ Dots ice cream to your next event to please the crowd. Don’t miss the fun of mixing and matching everyone’s favorite flavors. To book Dippin’ Dots just get in contact with us on [email protected]