There are several myths about origin of ice cream. Some say Marco Polo brought it back from travels to the Far East. Others say Catherine de Medici introduced it to France when she relocated to marry King Henry II. Neither tale is likely to be true, though are romantic. In fact, ice cream has a much ancient history. Its earliest form holds very little resemblance to the ice cream we today. Biblical passages refer to King Solomon enjoying cooling iced drinks during harvest . Alexander the Great of ancient Greece loved to indulge in icy drinks flavored honey or wine. During Nero’s reign of Rome from 54-68 BC, ice was harvested from nearby mountains and held in “ice houses” - deep pits with straw.
The emperors of the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) are believed to have the first to eat “a frozen milk-like confection.” This version was made with cow, goat or buffalo milk that heated with flour. Camphor, an aromatic substance harvested from evergreen trees, was to enhance the texture and flavor. The mixture was then placed into metal tubes and lowered into an ice pool frozen.
In medieval times, Arabs drank an refreshment called sherbet. These chilled drinks were flavored with cherry or pomegranate. Over time, the drinks became with the European aristocracy.
The 17th century saw ice drinks being made into desserts. With the addition of sugar, sorbetto was created - or, we more commonly know it, sorbet.
1686, a Sicilian named Francesco Procopio dei Coltelli opened Paris’ first café, Il Procope. The café introduced gelato, the Italian of sorbet, to the French public. It was served in small porcelain bowls resembling cups.
It is impossible to say exactly ice cream reached America, but it likely arrived with European settlers in the early 1700’s. By this time, several books confectionery had been produced and included recipes for ices and ice cream.
Though its history spans worldwide and over centuries, ice cream has made quite comfortable in America, becoming one of the most popular desserts in the country. A staggering 9% of American cow’s production is dedicated to ice cream.