In the U.S., people consume enough ice cream for 48 pints per person each year. Nine percent of cow’s milk in the U.S. is used to make ice cream. Eighty-seven percent of Americans have ice cream in their freezer, and nine percent of the milk production of the US milk production goes into ice cream production. 

Here are some important dates in Ice Cream history: 

  • The antecedents of ice cream go back to the 400s BC Alexander the Great enjoyed snow and ice flavored with honey and nectar. Biblical references also show that King Solomon was fond of iced drinks  
  • Roman emperor Nero (37-68 CE) ordered ice to be brought from the mountains and combined with fruit toppings and honey. 
  • Catherine de Medici introduced the luxury dessert, ice cream, to France in 1553. 
  • Likely ice cream arrived in America in the early 1700s with the European settlers. 
  • Ice cream was first served in the US when Maryland Governor, Thomas Bladen served it to his guests in 1744. 
  • James Hemings, Thomas Jefferson’s slave and personal chef, born in 1765, was sent to France to study at the Chateau Chantilly, the most acclaimed kitchen in France. He served the rare delicacy at Jefferson’s lavish parties in Philadelphia and Virginia. 
  • The first ice cream parlor opened  in New York in 1790. 
  • Dolley Madison first served ice cream in the White House in 1809. 
  • Augustus Jackson was an African-American ice cream maker and confectioner from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Jackson served as a chef in the White House during the 1820s. 
  • Augustus Jackson, an African American who had been a White House chef for James and Dolley Madison. Eggless custard recipe, a uniquely American style and added salt to the recipe to lower the freezing temperature (1832). Known as the modern Father of Ice Cream. Did not patent processes or recipes. 
  • The first ice cream factory was built in Baltimore in 1851 by Jacob Fussell. 
  • Alfred Cralle, born 1866, was the first African American to hold a solo patent, he invented the mechanical ice cream scoop in 1896. 
  • The ice cream cone made its debut at the St. Louis, Louisiana Purchase Exposition in 1904. 
  • Original Neapolitan ice cream was based on spumoni and represented the Italian flag with vanilla, cherry and pistachio ice cream flavors and. 
  • Soft serve ice cream appeared in 1938 followed by the advent of the modern ice cream purveyors: 1940 – Dairy Queen; 1953 – Baskin-Robbins; 1960 – Haagen-Dazs; 1983 – Ben and Jerry’s; and 1987 – Dippin Dots. 

 

This month check out the ice cream at Baskin-Robbins at Dunkin, the Rocky Point Creamery or the new soft serve at Deere Valley Farm.