Ice Cream

Some think Marco Polo, the 13th-century traveler, brought the first recipe for ice cream to the West from Asia. Others believe ice cream was devised by the Roman emperor Nero, who had runners bring in mountain snow to be mixed with fresh fruit and honey. In the rural America of a hundred years ago, ice cream was a rare treat, made with real cream in small batches in a churn with ice and salt.

Ice cream has been a favorite of kings and presidents (including Charles I of England and George Washington). The first ice-cream parlor in the United States opened in New York in 1776, and the first commercial plant opened in Baltimore in 1851. In 1904, the waffle ice-cream cone was introduced at the St. Louis World’s Fair when a waffle concessionaire began rolling his waffles into cone shapes for the ice-cream vendor in the adjoining booth.

Varieties

Although an ever-changing menu of ice-cream flavors and products tempts us these days, the top five flavors in the United States in 1999 were still the great old familiar ones vanilla, chocolate, Neapolitan (the famous vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry combination), cookies and cream, and butter pecan.

Ice cream is now produced around the world in dozens of flavors, and in low-sugar, low-fat, and fat-free varieties.

Buying and storing tips

When buying ice cream at the grocery store, make it one of your last purchases so it won’t have time to melt before you get home. Pack it with other frozen foods, ask for a freezer bag, or pack it near other chilled foods to keep them cold as well.

Until a container of ice cream is opened, it can be stored for about 2 months in the freezer at 0°F (32°C). It can be kept longer at –15°F (–26°C), but most home freezers don’t maintain this low a temperature. To partially soften ice cream to make it easier to serve, the container can be placed in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes; serve the desired portion, then return it to the freezer. After they are fully thawed, ice-cream products should not be refrozen.

Availability

Ice cream is available in food stores of all kinds everywhere. Handy electric appliances now make it easy to make ice cream at home, too.

Preparation, uses, and tips

Ice cream is enjoyed just as it is. It can also be used to make milk shakes, sodas, sundaes, floats, and other classic soda-fountain combinations. Scoops of ice cream still make an attractive dessert. It can be paired with fresh fruit or nuts, or with French or Italian desserts for a sophisticated presentation. If you have a hard time resisting ice cream, it’s probably best to purchase this rich dessert in small portions.

Nutritional Highlights

Ice cream (chocolate, whole-milk), 1/2 cup (66g)
Calories: 142
Protein: 2.5g
Carbohydrate: 18.6g
Total Fat: 7.2g
Fiber: 0.0g

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The information presented in Foodnotes is for informational purposes only and was created by a team of U.S. registered dietitians and food experts. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires December 2003.