The Evolution of Ice Cream :
Early chilled delicacies: Many nations claim to have invented Ice Cream(derived from earlier- iced cream or cream ice) but origins of ice cream date back to China’s T’ang period around 200BC,where they packed soft milk and rice mixture in the snow. Roman Emperor Nero (37–68) brought ice from the mountains and combined it with fruit toppings. In 10th century ice cream was widespread in Arabian cities where it is prepared with milk or cream, often with some yogurt, and was flavoured with rosewater,dried fruits and nuts. This was precursor to Persian faloodeh.
Marco Polo visited China and took the technique of making ice cream to Italy which was only enjoyed by Yuan Dynasty and was a royal secret.From then Italians were undisputed masters in this field.When Italian duchess Catherine de’ Medici married the Duke of Orléans in 1533, she is said to have brought with her to France some Italian chefs who had recipes for flavoured ices or sorbets.Few records say that England had discovered ice cream earlier than Italians.
The infographic below depicts few historical facts about ice cream.
The term ice cream:- The name iced creams was given because the appelation described the process.In 1688 the word “iced cream” was included in Oxford English Dictionary.The term “ice cream” showed up in 1744.Even before this the recipe for ice cream was published in Mrs. Mary Eales’s Receipts in London in 1718.
Mrs. Mary Eales's Receipts 1733-To ice cream(Source :Wikipedia)
Technology : The use of ice mixed with salt to lower the temperature of ingredients and the invention of wooden bucket freezer with rotary paddles helped in rapid growth of ice cream industry.Nancy Johnson invented hand-cranked freezer in 1846 which established the basic method of ice cream manufacture.
Jacob Fussell established the first large-scale commercial ice cream plant in 1851.Then the ice cream shop or soda fountain has become an icon of American culture and the advent of mechanical refrigeration has helped it.
Then as the time passed the ice cream has evolved greatly from varieties like Soft ice cream,Eskimo Pie, Haagen-Dazs,Dove Bar and Good Humor Ice Cream Bar.Many flavors where invented which include Bacon,Black and Tan,Blue Moon,Brown bread ,Butter Brickle,Butter Pecan,Chocolate chip cookie dough,Chocolate,Chubby Hubby, Cookies and Cream,Cornish,Crab,Grape nut,Green tea,Hokey pokey ,Hubby Hubby,Late Night Snack,Mint chocolate chip,Neapolitan ,Raspberry Ripple,Rocky road ,Schweddy Balls ,Spumoni,Stephen Colbert’s AmeriCone Dream,Superman ,Taste the Lin-Sanity,Tutti frutti ,Vanilla,Vermonster,Yes Pecan etc..,