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July is National Ice Cream Month. This means it is your civic duty to consume a scoop or two of the delicious treat daily.
There’s nothing like creamy cool ice cream on a hot summer’s day. Or any day, really! That, combined with the heat we have been having, makes cooling off with a cup or cone practically mandatory. There are ice cream cones, ice cream sundaes, ice cream floats, malts, and milkshakes.
However, it doesn’t have to be hot to have ice cream. Americans consume ice cream year-round.
But did you ever wonder where it came from? In honor of Ice Cream Day we scoop up the history of this delicious frozen treat.
At this time of year, ice cream seems to be a much more sought out dessert/snack than ever. Perhaps it’s the idea of indulging in something cool on a hot day. Whatever it is, there’s nothing like an ice cream treat now and again. But did you ever wonder where ice cream came from? In honor of Ice Cream Day, the 3rd Sunday in July, we thought we’d scoop up some history of this delicious frozen treat.
Thanks to President Reagan, we celebrate National Ice Cream Day every third Sunday in July meaning July 17 this month. Reagan wanted to commemorate a treat enjoyed by over 90 percent of the U.S. population. In 1984 he decreed a day for ice cream and his proclamation gave the dairy industry in America an economic boost.
It seems that the early history of ice cream is widely in doubt. There are many different stories and accounts. Although chilled or iced drinks were known in the biblical world, the Chinese most likely were the “inventors” of iced desserts.
Emperor Nero of Rome is recorded as being the first to serve a frozen dessert to his guests. As the story goes, teams of runners ran from the mountains carrying fresh snow, which was flavored with honey, juices, and fruits.
After Marco Polo visited the Far East, he returned with a recipe for flavored ice to which milk was added. The Italians adopted the dish and it spread throughout Europe. Later, cream was substituted for the milk. Charles I of England was very fond of this unique dish and had a French chef who made it for him. His son, James II, paid one pound apiece for “A dozen dishes of ice cream” in 1686.
When the colonists came to America, they brought recipes for frozen desserts with them. The first known mention of ice cream in America was in a 1700 letter written by a guest of William Bladen, Governor of the Maryland Colony.
As time went on, and technology advanced, ice cream became more and more popular.
Ice cream is loved by Americans everywhere.
As you scoop up your favorite ice cream, perhaps you’d like to know these fun facts about ice cream:
• America’s top five ice cream flavors are vanilla, chocolate, cookies n’ cream, mint chocolate chip and chocolate chip cookie dough.
• June and July are the busiest months for ice cream production.
• The ice cream industry in the U.S. contributes more than $39 billion to the national economy and creates more than 188,000 jobs in communities across the country.
• The average American consumes more than 23 pounds of ice cream per year.
• Three gallons of whole milk are needed to make one gallon of ice cream.
• Ice cream can cause “brain freeze” when it touches the roof of our mouth because the cold substance causes blood vessels running between the mouth and the brain to tense up and trap blood in the brain, which leads to extra pressure.
• Eighty-seven percent of Americans have ice cream in their freezer at any given time.
• Finishing a single-scoop ice cream cone takes approximately 50 licks.
• The average cow produces enough milk during its lifetime to make 7,500 gallons of ice cream.
• Ice cream shops across the country serve unique flavors such as Sweet Corn, Honey Avocado, Olive Oil, Coconut Curry and Sweet Potato Maple Walnut.
For many, National Ice Cream Day is the perfect excuse to enjoy a cup or cone of their favorite flavor. For others, the fat and sugar content may cause them to avoid this celebration. There are some healthier options for those with diet restrictions, however. These options include: low fat, light, reduced fat, soft serve, sherbet, and non-dairy ice cream.
Ice cream isn’t all fat and sugar. It may be reaching a little bit, but one could even say that it is good for you. It does contain calcium, protein, and vitamins A, B2, B12, C, D, and E after all.
It’s National Ice Cream Month! Go ahead and have a scoop or two. It’s good for you.