How Ice Cream Appeared: From Dessert for Alexander the Great to Eskimo Pie

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Ice cream appeared much earlier than refrigerators and freezers. The fact that in hot summer there is nothing better than a cool sweet delicacy was guessed back in antiquity. But how could such different phenomena as the summer heat and the making of ice cream be combined, in the absence of modern devices? It turns out that there were special technologies for this.

Ice cream in ancient times

It is believed that ice cream was known in China five thousand years ago. For preparation, ice from mountain peaks was used, which was crushed and mixed with pieces of berries and fruits. They did the same in Ancient Persia and the states of the ancient world. Ice cream was prepared for Alexander the Great and the Roman emperor Nero - in the form of chilled and frozen juices, wine and dairy products.

In Persia, mountain ice and snow were stored in cellars - they were built underground, were waterproof and kept a low temperature. To equip these storage facilities, which were called yakkhchals, they used a mixture of clay, sand, egg white, ash, lime, and added goat's hair. Yet ice cream production was expensive, labor-intensive, and only rich people could afford the delicacy.

Ice cream in Russia

In Kievan Rus ice and snow were not brought from the mountains - they kept it from winter in specially equipped glaciers. First, they dug a deep hole, made walls and ceilings, and poured an earthen mound on top. Ice was cut from frozen rivers to fill the cellar - its dense structure allowed less air to pass through than snow, and melting slowed down.

One of the treats in Old Russian is frozen milk, which was broken into shavings with a knife, mixed with honey, nuts, raisins or jam, or frozen cottage cheese and sour cream. Such a delicacy was prepared for Shrovetide.

Ice cream in Europe and around the world

In Europe, the ice cream recipe appeared, it is believed, thanks to the traveler Marco Polo, when he returned from his travels in the East. Royal kitchens improved technology and began to prepare ice cream a little more reminiscent of modern ones.

A large container was filled with ice and salt, a bowl was placed inside, where the ingredients were mixed - milk or cream, sugar, nuts, fruits. The milk mass was whipped, which was gradually cooled with melting ice. The salt accelerated the process of ice melting and cooling of this mass, and ice cream was obtained.

European secrets also found their way to Russia - together with foreign chefs who were invited to the royal court. Natasha Rostova from Tolstoy's novel War and Peace was waiting for ice cream at her birthday - and this is a sign that the Rostovs could afford some luxury, because in those days it was not yet available to the public.

Since the 19th century, the cooling of the milk mixture has been carried out with the help of other refrigerants - ammonia, nitrate, ether. The cost of ice cream fell sharply with the invention of ice cream makers, then ice cream factories were opened, and by the beginning of the 20th century, improved ice cream production technology made it possible to introduce it not only to the privileged strata of consumers, but also to those with a sweet tooth with ordinary income and status. And in 1921, Iowa resident Christian Nielsen created "Eskimo Pai" - "Eskimo pie" - ice cream on a stick, glazed with chocolate. According to other information, the popsicle was invented by the Frenchman Charles Gervais, a cheese maker who once had the idea of creating an ice cream on a stick.

And in continuation of the culinary theme, the story of how popular desserts were bornwho conquered the world.