History Notes--ice Cream - The Food Timeline

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About ice cream Why do we call it "ice cream?" European introduction myths & legends early American flavors first USA ice cream parlor? 1893 NYC favorites 1920s ice cream specials Augustus Jackson Howard Johnson's 28 flavors carton shrinkage

a la mode baked Alaska banana splits black cow bombes cherries on top? Cho cho bars chocolate ice cream egg creams French ice cream

fried ice cream gelato heavenly hash hokey pokey ice cream cake ice cream cones ice cream sandwiches ice cream socials ice cream sundaes Italian ice & granita malted milk

milk shakes Neapolitan ice cream novelties oyster ice cream parfait Philadelphia-style ice cream popsicles rocky road rum raisin sherbet & sorbet soda fountains sorbet course

Ice cream Food historians tell us the history of ice cream begins with ancient flavored ices. The Chinese are generally credited for creating the first ice creams, possibly as early as 3000 BC. Marco Polo is popularly cited for introducing these tasty concoctions to Italy. This claim (as well as his introducing pasta to Italy) are questionable. The ice creams we enjoy today are said to have been invented in Italy during the 17th century. They spread northward through Europe via France. "French-style" ice cream (made with egg yolks) and its American counterpart, "Philadelphia-style," are (no eggs, or egg whites only) enriched products made with the finest ingredients. Vanilla is the most popular flavor of this genre. Food historians tell us this type of ice cream originated in the 17th century and proliferated in the early 18th.

As time and technology progressed, ice cream flavors (Pistachio, Rocky Road, Chunky Monkey), complicated confections (19th century Neapolitan bricks, English bombes & American cakes), and novelty concoctions (hokey-pokey treats, ice cream bars, popsicles, sundaes, sodas & banana splits), proliferated.

Where did they get the ice before we had refrigerators?

Why do we call it "ice cream?" Excellent question! Centuries ago people started making refreshing summer-time desserts by taking sweet cream (the richest part of milk) or custard (egg-based puddings) and cooling them down with ice. The chillier the cream, the more solid the product. In sum: the first "iced creams" were so named because the appelation described the process. Seasonal fruit flavors predominated. Different words were used in other languages. Before modern refrigeration mostly wealthy people had access to ice (and by association, iced cream) in the summer. This made ice cream a rare treat. It was not until the late 19th century "ice cream" was consumed by Americans across all socio-economic levels. According to the Oxford English Dictionary the first print occurrence of the word "iced cream" as in 1688. The term "ice cream" shows up in 1744. That corresponds approximately with the time when "modern" ice creams were first manufactured. treat until mass modern technology punched in.

European introduction & evolution "Ice cream is reputed to have been made in China as long ago as 3000 BC, but it did not arrive in Europe (via Italy) until the thirteenth century, and Britain had to wait until the late seventeenth century to enjoy it (hitherto, iced desserts had been only of the sorbet variety)... by the time Hannah Glasse and Elizabeth Raffald were giving recipes for it in the mid-eighteenth century, it was evidently well established. At first, ice cream was simply as its name suggests: cream, perhaps sweetened, set in a pot nestling in ice to cool it down. But before long recipes became more sophisticated, and the technique of periodic stirring to prevent the formation of ice crystals was introduced, and ice cream was set on a career of unbroken popularity. As early as 1821 we find mention of "ice-cream gardens' in New York....Since introducing ice cream to Europe in the Middle Ages, Italy has never relinquished its lead in theis field, and over the centuries the manufacture of ice cream has in many countries been the province of Italian emigres." ---An A to Z of Food and Drink, John Ayto [Oxford Univeristy Press:Oxford] 2002 (p. 167)

"The first ice creams, in the sense of an iced and flavoured confection made from full milk or cream, are thought to have been made in Italy and then in France in the 17th century, and to have been diffused from the French court to other European countries...The first recorded English use of the term ice cream (also given as iced cream) was by Ashmore (1672), recording among dishes served at the Feast of St. George at Windsor in May 1671 One Plate of Ice Cream'. The first published English recipe was by Mrs. Mary Eales (1718)...Mrs. Eales was a pioneer with few followers; ice cream recipes remained something of a rarity in English-language cookery books...As for America, Stallings observes that ice cream is recorded to have been served as early as 1744 (by the lady of Governor Blandon of Maryland, nee Barbara Jannsen, daughter of Lord Baltimore), but it does not appear to have been generally adopted until much later in the century. Although its adoption then owed much to French contacts in the period following the American Revolution, Americans shared 18th century England's tastes and the English preference for ice creams over water ices, and proceeded enthusiastically to make ice cream a national dish." ---Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 1999 (p. 392-3)

"The first substantial piece of writing on ice cream was an anonymous 84-page manuscript entitled L'Art de faire des Glaces which, through watermarks in the paper, has been dated "circa 1700." It is a "how to" work of some sophistication, giving detailed instructions for the preparation of such delights as apricot, voilet, rose, chocolate, and a caramel ice creams and water ices. A number of British cookbooks of the eighteenth century contain ice cream formulas. One such work is Mrs. Hannah Glasse's The Art of Cookery Made Easy (1747)--considered by scholars to be the first major cookbook written by a woman in what was until then an almost exclusively male domain. In 1768 there appeared in Paris what is undoubtedly the most outlandish treatise on the subject ever to be published. Called The Art of Making Frozen Desserts, it is a 240-page offering by one M. Emy, who not only gives formulas for "food fit for the gods," but offers theological and philosophical explanations for such phenomena as the freezing of water. The tone of the book is set by its frontispiece, which depicts a brace of angels delivering ice cream to earth from heaven. Although frozen desserts were becoming common in regal circles, not until 1670 when the Cafe Procope opened in Paris did "iced creams" and sherbets spread to the masses." ---The Great American Ice Cream Book, Paul Dickson [Atheneum:New York] 1972 (p. 18-19)

Recommended reading

• "Asparagus Ice Cream, Anyone?," Jeri Quinzio, Gastronomica: Journal of Food and Culture, Spring 2002
• Chocolate, Strawberry and Vanilla: A History of American Ice Cream, Anne Cooper Funderburg
• The Great American Ice Cream Book, Paul Dickson
• Harvest of the Cold Months: The Social History of Ice and Ices, Elizabeth David
• Ice Cream, Ivan Day
• Ice Creams, Sorberts & Gelati: The Definative Guide, Caroline & Robin Weir [features timeline]
• Of Sugar and Snow: A Historyof Ice Cream Making, Jeri Quinzio

On the Web Ice Cream, International Dairy Foods Association Ice Cream, University of Guelph

Ice cream myths & legends No other food boasts offers more legends of discovery than ice cream. This tribute to popular ubiquity merits examination. Is it possible to separate fact from fiction? Sometimes. On the other hand, sometimes it's more interesting to embrace myths in context rather than deconstruct for scientific purpose. The stories are as delectable as the product itself. What are they really telling us about our collective gastronomic legacy?

Catherine de Medici & the "introduction" ice cream to France "How curious then, in modern times--meaning from the mid ninteenth century on--it has come to be believed that Catherine de Medici was accompanied to France by a bevy of Italian confectioners who taught their French colleagues how to make ices and frozen sherbets. Since the story is widely believed in Italy, appears indeed to be central to the credo of the Italian ice-cream trade...it is necessary to say here that although the source of the story remains unidentified, it is plain that its origins are in the nineteenth century, the likelihood being that it rose out of a lingistic confusion...connected in some way perhaps with the stories of ice introduced into France during Henry III's reign--or shortly before it--and while Catherine herself was still in a powerful position as Queen Mother and Regent. I do know that of two people who helped disseminate it in England one was Abraham Hayward, QC, author of The Art of Dining, published in 1852. In a footnote to his chapter on Paris restaurants, Hayward remarked that it had been established that Catherine de Medici and her Florentine confectioners had brought the art of making ices to the French capital. He gave no chapter or verse, but his footnote gives the impression that it was something he recently read, whether in French or in English perhaps we shall one day find out. It would be agreeable to nail the legend to its origin. The second English writer, who did more than Haywood to establish the Medici story, was Mrs. Isabella Beeton. Very probably she had read it in The Art of Dining. Among many startling statements in her famous Household Management of 1861--'the Italians with the exception of macaroni, have no specially characteristic article of food' is a fair example--was her suggestion that in the light of Catherine's great innovation in the matter of ice-creams she might be forgiven the massacre of St. Bartholomew." ---Harvest of the Cold Months: The Social History of Ice and Ices, Elizabeth David [Viking:New York] 1994 (p. 44-45) [Note: David also investigates legend regarding Procope's opening the first ice cream parlor in Paris.]

Mr. Hayward's quote: "We are unable to fix the precise time when [ices/ice cream] there began to be cultivated with success, but it met with the most enlightened encouragement from the merchant-princes of Florence, and the French received the first rudiments of the science from the professors who accompanied Catherine de Medicis to Paris...*It is clearly established that they introduced the use of ices into France. Fricandeaus were invented by the chef of Leo X. Coryat, in his 'Crudities Gobbled Up,' writing in the reign of James 1., says that he was called 'Furcifer' by his friends, from his using their 'Italian neatnesses namely forks.'"--- The Art of Dining or, Gastronomy and Gastronomes, A. Hayward, new edition [John Murray:London] 1883 (p. 6)

Mrs. Beeton's statement reads thusly: "Do ladies know to whom they are indebted for the introduction of ices, which all the fair sex are passionately fond of?--To Catherine de' Medici." (General Observations: Ices, last paragraph).

More ice cream invention stories: ice cream cones, popsicles, banana splits & sundaes.

First ice cream recipe published in America? According to the venerable food historian Karen Hess, the first ice cream recipe published in the United States appeared in The New Art of Cookery, According to the Present Practice/Richard Briggs, circa 1792. This recipe is almost exactly the same as Mrs. Raffald's (see below). Ms. Hess observes: "the first American recipe that I know of that features vanilla on its own is one for vanilla ice cream in Mary Randolph's The Virginia Housewife, 1824; similar recipes had, however been appearing in France, and Jefferson brought back one in 1784, showing once again how tht printed word lags behind usage." Source: Martha Washington's Booke of Cookery, transcribed by Karen Hess [Columbia University Press:New York] 1981 (p. 13) [About vanilla.]

Our survey of 18th-early 19th century English and American cookbooks confirms fruit ice creams were probably the most popular. Most cookbooks of the day contained several recipes for flavored creams, including one recipe especially for ice cream. In theory, any sweet cream recipe could be processed to become ice cream. Most period cookbooks note that any type of fruit may be used.

Which flavors were available in the 18th century? People have been adding flavors to ice/ice cream right from the beginning! Ice cream began as granita (ice). This product was often flavored with fruit or honey. In the 18th century when the first ice creams (as we know them today) were produced, they were likewise flavored. Period recipes are excellent indicators of popular flavorings:

[1747] "To make ice cream. Take two pewter basons, one larger than the other; the inward one must have a close cover, into which you are to put your cream, and mix it with raspberries, or whatver you like best, to give it a flavour and a colour. Sweeten it to your palate; then cover it close, and set it into the larger bason. Fill it with ice, and a handful of salt: let it stand in this ice three quarters of an hour, then uncover it, and stir the cream well together: cover it close again, and let is stand half an hour longer, after that turn it into your plate. These things are made at the pewterers." ---The Art of Cookery Made Plain & Easy, Hannah Glasse, facsimile of the first edition, 1747 [Prospect Books:Devon] 1995 (p. 168)

[1769] "To make Ice Cream. Pare, stone, and scald twelve ripe apricots, beat them in a fine marble mortar. Put to them six ounces of double-refined sugar, a pint of scalding cream, work it through a hair sieve. Put it into a tin that has a close cover, when you see your cream grow thick round the edges of your tin, stir it, and set it again till all grows quite thick. When your cream is to be turned out of, then put on the lid. Have ready another tub with ice and salt in as before, put your mould in the middle and lay your ice under and over it, let it stand four or five hours. Dip your tin in warm water when you turn it out. If it be summer you must not turn it out til the moment you want it. You may use any sort of fruit if you nave not apricots, only observe to work it fine." ---The Experienced English Housekeeper, Elizabeth Raffald, facsimile 1769 edition with an introduction by Roy Shipperbottom [Southover Press:East Sussex] 1997 (p. 126) [NOTE: Mrs. Raffald's other fruit cream (non-ice) recipes employ lemon, raspberry, and orange. She also offers recipes for pistachio and chocolate cream.]

[1780s] Thomas Jefferson's French ice cream

[1792] Ice Creams. Take a dozen ripe apricots, pare them very thin and stone them, scald and put them into a mortar, and beat them fine; put to them six ounces of double refined sugar, a pint of scalding cream, and rub it through a sieve with the back of a spoon; then put it into a tine with a close cover, and set it in a tub of ice broken small, with four handsful of salt mixt among the ice; when you see your cream get thick round the edges of your tin, stir it well, and put it in again till it becomes quite thick; when the cream is all froze up, take it out of the tin, and put it into the mould you intend to turn it out of: mind that you put a piece of paper on each end, between the lids and the ice cream, put on the top lid, and have another tub of ice ready, as before, put the mould in the middle, with the ice under and over it; let it stand four hours, and do not turn it out before you want it; then dip the mould into cold spring water, take off the lids and paper, and turn it into a plate. You may do any sort of fruit the same way."here.]

[1931] "Cold drinks are synonymous with hot weatehr. It would take a gigantic bulletin bord to list the varieties and each season adds a few more. Many classify cold drinks only as thirst satisfiers, forgetting that a cold drink may be nutritious as well...In the summer we always stress convenience and little expenditure of energy in our food preparations...[a] good combination easily prepared is milk and carbonated beverage, and one of the most cooling is ginger ale and milk. If you like root beer flavor you will not scorn the black cow that is whisked together so quickly with chilled milk, root beer extract, ice water and a dash of cinnamon, a dash of nutmeg and a little sugar to sweeten...Black Cow. 2 cups chilled milk, 1 cup ice water, 1 tbsp. sugar, 1 tsp. root beer extract, dash cinnamon, dish nutmeg. Measure ingredients into a bowl and whisk with an egg beater, or shake vigorously in a glass fruit jar. Yield: 2 servings." ---"Cold Drinks for 1931 Are Mixed in New Styles," Afro-American, July 11, 1931 (p. 8)

[1932] "Coca-Cola Bubble 6 bottles ice-cold Coca-Cola 1 pint vanilla ice cream Divide ice cream into six servings; put in tall glasses; pour in Coca-Cola to fill; serve immediately." ---When You Entertain, Ida Bailey Allen [Coca-Cola Company:Atlanta GA] 1932 (p. 82)

[1939]