National Ice Cream Day
Scoops of frozen delight that can cool you down on the hottest of days, and come in endless flavors and toppings.
I guess ice cream is one of those things that are beyond imagination
L.M. Montgomery
Ice Cream is without a doubt the perfect dessert ever devised by man.
It’s rich and creamy, full of the flavors of summer while being made from the cold like the winter, and is perfect at any time of the year. Ice Cream can be used to make sandwiches or entire cakes, or just eaten as a scoop all on its own.
National Ice Cream Day celebrates this delicious treat and all the varieties it comes in!
How to Celebrate National Ice Cream Day
Well, first of all, get yourself out there and enjoy a heaping scoop of ice cream! Then maybe an ice cream sandwich, and then a delicious milkshake! Ok, are you sugared up enough yet? We didn’t think so!
The next thing you have to do is wolf down a delicious banana split and share an ice cream cake with your closest friends. Or just keep it all to yourself, we won’t tell! National Ice Cream Day is your chance to really indulge without any guilt or shame, and while you’re at it, try coming up with your own flavors!
There are lots of tasty and incredible ice cream recipes online, so why not try your hand at creating your own ice cream?
You may even decide to simply throw out the rulebook and add all of the flavors you love the most to see what the outcome is!
Let us know how you get on! We always love trying new ice cream flavors. Or, why not try your hand at creating one of the traditional ice cream treats, such as the Persian bastani sonnati dessert? You will definitely wow all of your friends if you post a picture of this on Instagram!
Learn About National Ice Cream Day
Ice cream has become one of the most popular dishes enjoyed by people all over the world. Therefore, it is only right that we have a date to celebrate this sweet treat, and to be able to eat as much as we want of it without feeling guilty.
Well, a lot of us do that anyway, and we’re proud of it, right? After all, who wouldn’t want to eat ice cream all of the time? No matter whether you eat ice cream every week or it is a rare treat for you, we definitely recommend that you indulge on National Ice Cream Day!
Ice Cream has been around for a very long time, since the first time milk and ice saw each other and fell in love, so long has Ice Cream been around.
Throughout the years it has come in every conceivable flavor, from gentle and universally loved vanilla, to the unusual flavor that is crab ice cream. That’s right, that’s how amazingly versatile ice cream is, you can literally flavor it like anything!
Due to the difficulty of obtaining snow in hot summer months, ice cream used to be very difficult to obtain and reserved only for those of wealth and note. Thankfully with the advances made in refrigeration technology we’re able to have ice cream any time of year!
That’s why we enjoy Choco-Tacos in the summertime, banana splits in the winter, ice cream cakes in the springtime, and ice cream sandwiches in the fall! What a wonderful world we live in to be able to enjoy this rich and delicious treat any time of the year!
Of course, these days we have unusual variations of ice cream as well, such as those made instantly by using liquid nitrogen, or those served up in individually frozen beads. What wonders the world has created for us to love on National Ice Cream Day.
History of National Ice Cream Day
We have President Reagan to thank for National Ice Cream Day. He wanted to commemorate the treat that more than 90 percent of the population in the United States enjoy, and so he decided he would decree a day for ice cream.
He did so in 1984. Doing this actually ended up glorifying the dairy industry in the United States, and so it probably does not come as any surprise for you to learn that Ameircans eat more gallons of ice cream per year than anywhere else in the world.
In fact, they eat 23 gallons per annum to be precise. That’s a lot of ice cream, right? Reagan even created an Ice Cream month because he loved it so much. He described it as a wholesome and nutritious food that the vast majority of the United States loved.
And, it is not only the United States that love their ice cream. This is a dessert that is enjoyed all over the world.
We also need to understand the history of this incredible dessert. Ice cream is one of the oldest types of desserts. It is believed that the history of ice cream probably started in Iran’s Achaemenid Empire, in roughly 500BC.
This is when different flavors were combined with ice in order to create treats to enjoy during the summer months. In 400C, the Persians created a special chilled food, which was a mix of vermicelli and rose water, which was served to the Royals during the summer months.
The ice was mixed with fruits, saffron, and a number of other flavors. Bastani Sonnati is now the most popular type of Persian ice cream.
This is a type of Iranian ice cream that is made from pistachios, vanilla, saffron, rose water, sugar, eggs, and milk. It also often has frozen flakes of clotted cream inside. It’s a real treat!
National Ice Cream Day FAQs
What’s the most expensive ice cream ever made?
A New York-based restaurant, Serendipity 3, created the “Golden Opulence Sundae.”
It costs $1,000 and features edible gold leaf, the finest vanilla beans from Madagascar, and rare chocolates from Tuscany.
This luxurious dessert even includes caviar and is served in a crystal goblet that guests keep as a souvenir.
What’s the link between ice cream and World War II?
During World War II, ice cream became a morale booster for American troops.
The U.S. Navy even built floating ice cream factories on ships to deliver the treat to soldiers in remote locations. These efforts made ice cream a symbol of comfort and home for many service members.
How does Thailand celebrate ice cream differently?
In Thailand, street vendors create rolled ice cream, a unique dessert made by pouring flavored milk onto a freezing pan.
The mixture is scraped into thin rolls and served with toppings like fruits, cookies, or syrups.
This playful method has become a global trend due to its mesmerizing preparation process.
Is there a connection between ice cream and sports?
Baseball stadiums in the U.S. popularized ice cream served in mini batting helmets in the 1970s.
Fans could enjoy their favorite teams’ colors and logos on the souvenir bowls. Today, it’s a beloved tradition at games and a favorite among collectors.
What role did soda fountains play in ice cream history?
In the 19th century, soda fountains in pharmacies introduced the ice cream soda, a fizzy dessert drink.
These fountains became social hubs where people gathered to enjoy creative concoctions. Ice cream sodas led to the creation of sundaes when laws banned serving sodas on Sundays.
What’s the science behind ice cream’s creamy texture?
Ice cream’s creamy texture comes from the balance of ice crystals, fat, and air. Manufacturers whip air into the mixture while freezing it, creating a smooth and fluffy texture.
Premium brands use less air, resulting in a denser, richer treat.
How does Iran’s ‘Bastani Sonnati’ differ from traditional ice cream?
Bastani Sonnati, a Persian ice cream, uses saffron, rosewater, and pistachios for flavoring.
It’s often combined with vermicelli-like frozen noodles. The unique preparation creates a stretchy texture that sets it apart from Western-style ice cream.
What’s the strangest ice cream-related world record?
The world’s largest ice cream cake weighed over 10,000 pounds and was made in Toronto in 2011. It required 20 chefs and over 100 hours to create.
This enormous dessert featured layers of sponge cake and 6,000 pounds of ice cream.
Why was ice cream once considered a luxury item?
Ice cream required rare ingredients like ice and sugar, making it an expensive treat in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Only the wealthy, like European royalty, could afford it. Advances in refrigeration and mass production in the 19th century made it widely accessible.
What’s the story behind ice cream trucks?
Ice cream trucks originated in the 1920s when Harry Burt, an ice cream pioneer, added bells to his trucks to attract customers.
These trucks introduced a new way to deliver frozen treats directly to neighborhoods. Today, the nostalgic jingle of an ice cream truck still signals happiness on summer days.
Need some inspiration?
Check out these videos for some extra inspiration in getting involved!
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