Ice cream is a favorite treat for adults and children. Now manufacturers offer ice cream with various flavors and additives. The most popular types of course are considered vanilla, chocolate and caramel or toffee ice cream. There is even lactose-free ice cream, which can be consumed by people with intolerance to the so-called “milk sugar”. However, this is not only a delicious dish, but also very curious. There are many interesting facts about ice cream. In this article we want to share the most notable of them.
Table of Contents
History Of Occurrence
Ice cream is a dessert that has a long history. It appeared more than 5,000 years ago in China. The inhabitants of the Middle Kingdom prepared a dish that has a recipe similar to modern “fruit ice”. To prepare a dessert, pieces of berries and fruits or juice from them were mixed with snow.
In ancient Greece, a dish prepared on the basis of chilled milk was served on the table, to which additional ingredients were added to add sweetness and an original taste.
Alexander of Macedon, to maintain strength, ate a dessert prepared on the basis of milk, honey, berries and ice. His soldiers feasted on the same dish.
The famous sorbet was brought by traveler Marco Polo from China to Europe more than 7 centuries ago.
Ice cream on a stick was invented at the beginning of the last century by accident. He was invented by an 11-year-old American. The boy simply forgot on the street in winter a soda with a straw in a glass. As a result, the liquid froze. Pulling on a straw, the contents fell out of the container. The child without thinking twice ate it. After 20 years, he patented his invention and subsequently sold the rights to produce “frozen ice on a stick” to a large company. Dessert is widespread. Now not only ice is sold on a stick, but also popsicle, as well as other varieties of ice cream.
A waffle cone appeared only at the beginning of the last century. Then a glass was invented.
Until the 19th century, ice cream was a dessert for the rich. An ice cream man from London violated this rule. He brought a makeshift refrigerator to the street and began selling dessert for a modest amount to passers-by.
Highscores
Ice cream is a record holder. So, in 2011, a giant dessert was created in Canada, the weight of which exceeded 10 tons. The dish was an ice cream cake. For its preparation, more than 1300 kilograms of chocolate chips, 90 kilograms of biscuit base and over 9 tons of ice cream were needed. Dessert was listed in the Guinness Book.
In Russia, a snowman was created from ice cream. His height was 2 meters. Weight – 300 kilograms. The snowman was listed in the Guinness Book of Records.
The record holder was supposed to be ice cream, whose height is equal to a two-story house, and weight – 20 tons. Dessert was delivered to New York by truck. However, the record was never set. By the time of arrival, the ice cream partially melted and flooded the streets of the city.
The most expensive ice cream is dessert, which is served in one of the New York restaurants. The dish has a real golden package. At the same time, precious metal shavings are completely edible. The price of dessert is $ 25,000 per serving. In addition, truffles and other gourmet ingredients are added to it.
Every year in the world, people eat more than 15 billion liters of dessert. The number can be compared with the volume of 5 thousand Olympic pools.
Unusual Tastes
Interestingly, in the world there are several tens, and perhaps hundreds of thousands of different ice cream recipes. In addition to traditional sweet dishes, you can try a dessert with hot chili peppers, pork, green tea, mushrooms soaked in wine, etc.
In Venezuela, one of the popular cafes serves a frozen dish based on beer and garlic. Dessert is in great demand among visitors. In total, the institution offers more than 800 varieties of dishes.
In Thailand, you can try durian ice cream. The fruit has a disgusting smell and “angelic taste.” True, the last conclusion is greatly exaggerated. Ice cream lacks a terrible flavor, but you can taste it.
An Asian restaurant serves ice cream with Viagra. It is easy to guess what effect dessert has.
There is also fried and even smoked ice cream.
In Chile, an entrepreneurial drug dealer added cocaine to ice cream. As a result, the dessert was addictive and euphoric. The dish was sold at an overpriced price. True, for a long time the drug dealer’s business could not exist. The businessman was arrested by the police.
In Portugal, special ice cream for dogs is made.
Ice Cream Myths
It is generally accepted that ice cream contributes to the appearance of tonsillitis. In fact, dessert tempers the throat. With regular use, it has a positive effect. In this case, the main thing is to observe the measure and do not put too large pieces in the mouth.
Coniferous ice cream is the prevention of colds. Thanks to the addition of citrus juice, it dessert contains a large amount of vitamin C. The needles provide the dish with essential oils.
Ice cream is considered a very high-calorie dessert. However, in fact, it contains only 200 kcal. Fruit years and at all – 150 kcal. The calorie content of a fat-free dessert is 100 kcal.
More Interesting Facts About Ice Cream
Ice cream is consumed by people with different statuses. One of the ardent admirers of the dessert was US President Thomas Jefferson. He brought from France new original recipes for dishes, and sometimes personally invented them. One of them is still kept in the Library of Congress.
Margaret Thatcher also had a hand in creating a new ice cream recipe. Prior to her political career, she worked as a chemist. As a result, Iron Lady developed soft ice cream, as it sounds paradoxical.
Dessert was very fond of Napoleon. Especially for him, a dessert making apparatus was delivered to St. Helena.
Professional tasters take ice cream only with a spoon made of real gold. This avoids the appearance of extraneous taste and aroma, and assess the characteristics of the dessert.
Most ice cream is consumed in America. In the USA there is even a separate holiday dedicated to dessert. National Ice Cream Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of July. The triumph was confirmed back in the last century by President Ronald Reagan.
In Hawaii, a fruit grows – tamarind, whose taste is very similar to vanilla ice cream.
According to statistics, during wars and a crisis in the economy, ice cream sales increase significantly. Dessert calms the nervous system and relieves stress.
Culinary shows do not actually use ice cream, but mashed potatoes. Frozen dessert simply does not withstand the temperature of spotlights and melts quickly. As a result, the operators do not even have time to remove it.
When buying ice cream, we actually acquire air. The thing is that this is the main component of the dessert. Air provides the product with softness and airiness. Without it, the dish would be solid and tasteless.
In India, the law prohibits eating ice cream by mouth. To do this, use a spoon or stick. Where did such a rule come from and how is it reasoned – there is no exact information. Of course, the ban is everywhere violated not only by tourists, but also by the Indians themselves.