A Quick Look At The History Of Ice Cream
By Lance Thorington
Nothing beats a serving of ice cream in soothing the senses on a hot summer day. People of all ages and from different walks in life appreciate everything this gastric delight brings. It even serves as one of the most preferred comfort foods of those who are in sorrow and pain. Not everyone though knows where this one originally came from.
It started out as a luxurious dessert available only for the really reach ones. Originally referred to as iced cream, it consists of cream and sugar mainly but variations over time included a fruit congealed over the ice.
There were assumptions that during the Renaissance period, Italians probably did some experiments with both creams and milk, but there is no sufficient evidence to prove such. Ample literary proof though can be traced back to 17th century France. It was in the court banquets during the time of Louis XIV when iced creams were first served. The Romans have been familiar with using ice and snow for cooling wines while the Byzantine Geeks and Persians have been enjoying sorbets. Hence, the introduction of this cold delight was not a surprise.
Making it using the most original procedure is actually very simple. The method is determined to come from the latter portion of the 16th century and found in the printed cookbooks of the said era. Lemon was the most used flavoring at that time as determined by its popularity as a flavor until around 1850.
In the original method, salt is scattered over a large basin of broken ice to aid in lowering the ice’’s melting temperature. A smaller basin containing sugar in syrup form, flavoring and cream is placed on the larger basin and its contents. When the edges start to freeze, it is then stirred until the cooling action makes it congealed. It is then left to freeze but checked and stirred periodically.
A cookbook published in 1718 first featured a recipe for this dessert favorite. It was printed in English and indicated a technique that was entirely different from the basin method. The cream was placed in pails, which were set in the ice chest and still-frozen. The presence of this recipe served as a sign of how it transformed from being a palace specialty to being a possible add-ons in the tables of those not belonging to royalty.
Creating this delicious delight is impossible without the metal container, which is essential in transferring the cold temperature inherent in the ice to the cream. Pewter was the first metal used, but it has been replaced by various alloys over time.
With time, iced creams and the creation of such have both become more elegant. Molded ones required greater effort considering how they need firmer structures compared to the hand-whipped variation. The cooked egg-thickened variation, which is more commonly referred to as French ones, have milk and eggs. The latter are cooked gently until they turn thick. The fact that they are called French though does not necessarily mean that only French people make them.
At the present time, the regular guy gets access to a large selection of ice cream in the market. Each one offers a different experience, and it is notable how some people even crave for a specific type of this cooled product at a certain time. For most though, it is just the flavors that really matter.
About The Author
You can find a summary of the history of ice cream and more information about the best ice cream shop in Alameda at http://www.tuckersicecream.com now.
