Where did ice cream come from?

Where did ice cream come from?

Ice cream! Can anyone imagine summer without it? No. No matter where they live, everyone knows this sweet, cold dessert that helps cool down on the hottest days.

There's no fully confirmed account of who invented ice cream, but the first historical mentions of ice cream desserts date back 5000 years and come from China! Initially, desserts were made with crushed fruit and crushed ice, resembling today's sorbets. Advances in ice cream preparation led the Chinese to revamp the cold dessert recipe. They mixed a paste of cooked rice, fruit, milk, and spices in snow and froze it. This gave rise to true ice cream.

How did ice cream come to Europe?

In ancient times, the Greeks coped by using snow from Mount Olympus. They mixed it with fruit juices, honey, and wine. In Rome, they added honey, cinnamon, and rosewater to the ice, often also adding almonds, dates, and figs.
Modern ice cream likely came to Europe thanks to Marco Polo. Legend has it that the Venetian traveler stole a secret recipe during one of his travels in China and sold it to Venetian confectioners. One of the first places in Europe to begin serving ice cream to the general public, though still catering to the elite in the 17th century, was the Cafe Procope ice cream parlor in France. The ice cream there was composed of milk, cream, butter, and eggs.

Ice cream for the elite

From the beginning, the delicious, refreshing ice cream dessert wasn't accessible to everyone. Ice was a scarce commodity and not readily available everywhere. Transporting it was expensive, so only a select few could enjoy the flavor. The history of ice cream developed when the recipe reached the Atlantic. The first ice cream parlor in New York was opened by an Italian, but Americans were eager to spread the word, and in the mid-19th century, the first ice cream factory opened. As early as 1876, the refrigerator invented by German Carl von Linde made ice cream production much easier. At the beginning of the 20th century, the edible cone was introduced, but ice cream became increasingly common. The popularity of ice cream worldwide has remained constant ever since. It is available both summer and winter on a stick, in a waffle cone, or in a cone.

Ice creams come in different flavors and shapes

Initially shapeless sorbets based on crushed ice and fruit juices have evolved with the development of production technology and storage options. Scooped, scooped, or swirled ice creams are the most popular and readily available, but human creativity knows no bounds. Stores offer ice cream in any shape, depending on what they promote and what flavor they offer. Ice cream shop customers can't keep up with the creativity of their owners, who constantly introduce new, often very unusual flavors. Thais eat their ice cream in a roll, the Japanese enjoy matcha-flavored ice cream, and the Chinese add black sesame and red kidney beans to their ice cream.

Think making homemade ice cream is hard? We'll surprise you! Try our simple recipe for coconut milk ice cream.