The history of ice cream is not exactly black and white
– or chocolate and vanilla.
The history of ice cream is not exactly black and white – or chocolate and vanilla.
No one knows for sure when and where ice cream was originally invented. Famous historical figures, such as Alexander the Great, were known to like a flavored ice dessert, and Marco Polo came back to Italy with a recipe close to sherbet.
There are several myths and legends about how the first ice cream dish was created.
The most widely accepted story features the chef for Charles I of England serving a cold, creamy dessert at a large banquet in the 17th century.
It is unclear whether Charles I bribed the cook or threatened him, but the cook promised to keep the recipe secret.
After Charlie’s head rolled, the chef, with nothing to lose, spilled the beans. Very quickly the dessert became a delicacy for Europe’s nobility.
Shortly after, the recipe made the journey overseas to the New World. Between fighting the Revolutionary War and running an infant country, George Washington still managed to consume $200 worth of ice cream in one summer alone.
As refrigeration technology advanced so did the production and availability of ice cream.
In 1984, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed July National Ice Cream Month and honored ice cream as the “perfect dessert and snack food.”
