Marble Slab Fun & Facts: The Cold Facts

Cool Ice Cream Trivia

Finally, here's a definitive guide to everything you've ever wanted to know (and then some!) about your favorite frozen treat. So the next time you happen to run across a trivia snob (you know you know at least one), you can lick 'em with your in-depth knowledge of the mighty cone!

In 1924, Americans consumed an average of less than 4 quarts of ice cream per year.

Today, Americans eat about 15 quarts of ice cream per person each year. (Hey, who are you callin' a pig?)

For years, ice cream was made by hand in large bowls, until the very industrious Nancy Johnson of Philadelphia invented the first hand-cranked freezer in 1843 (It's said that Ms. Johnson had very large arms.). The "Johnson Patent Ice Cream Freezer" was patented on May 30, 1848.

The ice cream cone is an invention wrapped in controversy, but one thing is certain: It was made popular at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. It is reported that the event boasted around 50 ice cream stands and a large number of waffle shops.

Frozen In Time
Most of the earliest history of ice cream (before the 1930s) is unproven folklore, but nonetheless interesting. For instance:

The Roman Emperor Nero Claudius Caesar is said to have sent slaves to the mountains to bring snow and ice so that he could make frozen drinks. (Hey, it's good to be the king!)

The Italian chefs of Catherine de'Medici brought ice cream to France in 1533 when she went there to marry the Duc d'Orleans (And thus, French Vanilla was born.).

Although nobody is exactly sure when the term ice cream was first used, in 1744, an American named William Black wrote in his journal, when describing a dinner party at the home of Maryland's Colonial Governor Thomas Bladen, about &quotfine ice cream…with…strawberries and milk." Now there's a timeless combination.

SOURCES:
International Association of Ice Cream Manufacturers (IAICM). The History of Ice Cream. Washington, D.C., 1978.

Liddell, Caroline, and Robin Weir. Ices: The Definitive Guide. Hodder and Stoughton, 1993.

Funderburg, Anne. Chocolate, Strawberry, and Vanilla: A History of American Ice Cream. Bowling Green State University Popular Press.

Also see:
Dickson, Paul. The Great American Ice Cream Book.

Learn about our ice cream franchise opportunity.


	Marble Slab Fun & Facts In the News Celebrity Events Flavor Scope Birthday Party Ideas The Cold Facts Send a Friend a Cone Marble Slab Fun & Facts: The Cold Facts Cool Ice Cream Trivia Finally, here's a definitive guide to everything you've ever wanted to know (and then some!) about your favorite frozen treat. So the next time you happen to run across a trivia snob (you know you know at least one), you can lick 'em with your in-depth knowledge of the mighty cone! In 1924, Americans consumed an average of less than 4 quarts of ice cream per year. Today, Americans eat about 15 quarts of ice cream per person each year. (Hey, who are you callin' a pig?) For years, ice cream was made by hand in large bowls, until the very industrious Nancy Johnson of Philadelphia invented the first hand-cranked freezer in 1843 (It's said that Ms. Johnson had very large arms.). The "Johnson Patent Ice Cream Freezer" was patented on May 30, 1848. The ice cream cone is an invention wrapped in controversy, but one thing is certain: It was made popular at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. It is reported that the event boasted around 50 ice cream stands and a large number of waffle shops. Frozen In Time Most of the earliest history of ice cream (before the 1930s) is unproven folklore, but nonetheless interesting. For instance: The Roman Emperor Nero Claudius Caesar is said to have sent slaves to the mountains to bring snow and ice so that he could make frozen drinks. (Hey, it's good to be the king!) The Italian chefs of Catherine de'Medici brought ice cream to France in 1533 when she went there to marry the Duc d'Orleans (And thus, French Vanilla was born.). Although nobody is exactly sure when the term ice cream was first used, in 1744, an American named William Black wrote in his journal, when describing a dinner party at the home of Maryland's Colonial Governor Thomas Bladen, about &quotfine ice cream…with…strawberries and milk." Now there's a timeless combination. SOURCES: International Association of Ice Cream Manufacturers (IAICM). The History of Ice Cream. Washington, D.C., 1978. Liddell, Caroline, and Robin Weir. Ices: The Definitive Guide. Hodder and Stoughton, 1993. Funderburg, Anne. Chocolate, Strawberry, and Vanilla: A History of American Ice Cream. Bowling Green State University Popular Press. Also see: Dickson, Paul. The Great American Ice Cream Book. Learn about our ice cream franchise opportunity.