The Sweet History of Ice Cream

The origins of ice cream can be traced back to at least the 4th Century B.C.E. Early references include the Roman Emperor Nero (37 - 68 C.E.) who ordered ice be brought from the mountains and combined with fruit toppings. King Tang (618-697 C.E.) of Shang, China had a method of creating ice and milk concoctions. Ice cream was likely brought from China to Europe. Over time, recipes for ices, sherbets, and milk ices evolved and were served in the fashionable Italian and French royal courts.

After the desert was imported to the U.S., it was served by several famous Americans, including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. In 1700, Governor Bladen of Maryland was recorded as having served it to his guests. In 1774, a London caterer named Philip Lenzi announced in a New York newspaper that he would be offering various confections for sale, including ice cream. Dolly Madison served it in 1812 while she was First Lady of the U.S.

The first ice cream parlor in America opened in New York City in 1776. American colonists were the first to use the term “ice cream.” The name came from the phrase “iced cream,” which was similar to “iced tea.” 

Whoever invented the method of using ice mixed with salt to lower and control the temperature of ingredients provided a major breakthrough in ice cream technology. Also important was the invention of the wooden bucket freezer with rotary paddles, which improved the manufacture of ice cream. 

Augustus Jackson, a confectioner from Philadelphia, created new recipes for making ice cream in 1832.

In 1846, Nancy Johnson patented a hand-cranked freezer that established the basic method of making ice cream still used today. William Young patented the similar “Johnson Patent Ice-cream Freezer” in 1848.

In 1851, Jacob Fussell in Baltimore established the first large-scale commercial ice cream plant. Alfred Cralle patented an ice cream mold and scooper used to serve it on February 2, 1897.

Around 1927, the first commercially successful continuous process freezer for ice cream was invented by Clarence Vogt.    

The sweet treat became both distributable and profitable with the introduction of mechanical refrigeration. The ice cream shop, or soda fountain, has since become an icon of American culture.