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Although we just missed National Ice Cream Month, that’s no reason to skip out on this icy treat now, especially in such hot weather. Here are some facts and figures regarding one of the best bribing tools ever created, Ice Cream.
• Ice Cream, in some form, has been enjoyed as far back as second century B.C., and became an American favorite in the 1700s. In fact, here is a picture of Thomas Jefferson’s own recipe. If anyone can decipher the writing, please share it below. (For more Ice Cream history, check out Miss Cellania’s vintage overview).
• What exactly is Ice Cream? And how does it differ from frozen yogurt, gelato and custard? By law, ice cream must contain 10% milkfat, the same as custard, which must also contain a certain percentage of egg yolk solids. Gelato contains more milk than cream and plenty of eggs and flavoring. Sherberts and sorbets contain little to no dairy products but far more sugar. Frozen yogurt, of course, contains cultured milk.
• The ice cream cone was invented sometime in the early 20th century, although its exact origins are disputed. Still, the “cornucopia” made from a rolled waffle was made popular because of its availability at the St. Louis World’s Fair, and has been dripping with melted goodness ever since.
• Of course, there are many famous ice cream companies, though here are some facts you may not know. Before opening their store, Ben & Jerry took a $5 correspondence course from Penn State on how to make ice cream. (Take the Ben & Jerry’s quiz here) Also, did you know Haagen Daz is not foreign? The company started in the Bronx.
• For more interesting ice cream makers, check out some trendy LA ice cream shops, or read about Heartschallenger, an ice cream truck that visits concert venues
• It should be of little surprise that Vanilla tops the lists as favorite flavor, but did you know Chocolate Peanut Butter tops the list of fattiest? Yum.
• If you’re a huge fan of Ice Cream and have money to burn, considering purchasing a $1000 sundae from Serendipity 3 in New York, topped with a 23-carat edible gold leaf. Do you think gold gives you indigestion? I know spending that much on a sundae would.
• What would summer be without the ice cream truck? (An issue debated in one of my favorite shows of yore, the Adventures of Pete & Pete, when Mr. Tastee flees town). Despite Mayor Bloomberg’s attempts to ban ice cream truck music in 2005 (music from ice cream trucks ranked 13th out of the 24 most bothersome noises in the city, more tolerable than car alarms and horns, but worse than bars and barking dogs), a compromise was reached that allowed for music, but only when the truck is in motion.
Two questions for you, my Flossy friends … what’s your favorite ice cream flavor (let’s take an informal tally), and do you know of any fairly easy ice cream recipes?
Hungry for more? Venture into the Dietribes archive.
‘Dietribes’ appears every other Wednesday. Food photos taken by Johanna Beyenbach. You might remember that name from our post about her colorful diet.
The Adventures of Pete & Pete! Wow, that takes me back. Man, I completely forgot about that show. Crazy.
As for ice cream, I love me some Ben and Jerry’s S’mores. Mmmm.
posted by Katie on 8-5-2008 at 1:25 pm
My faaavorite ice cream of all time is Ben and Jerry’s chunky monkey - banana flavor with chocolate chunks and walnuts. Oh man, the deliciousness. David Lebovitz’s new book “The Perfect Scoop” has many many great recipes. His vanilla blew me away, it was so good.
posted by Adrienne on 8-5-2008 at 1:26 pm
When I lived in Ohio, my favorite flavor of ice cream was Pumpkin from Young’s Dairy Farm (near Dayton, Ohio).
In Germany, I fell in love with Zimt (Cinnamon) ice cream at a shop near the walkplatz in Bitburg.
I have yet to find a comparable ice cream flavor here in Maryland, although I made my husband try Maggie Moo’s (which I had first tried in Ohio). I could only eat a little bit, though, because it’s so rich with sugar!
posted by Brandy on 8-5-2008 at 1:30 pm
Add me to the list of Adriennes who love ice cream.
posted by adrienne on 8-5-2008 at 1:52 pm
I would have to vote Chocolate Peanut Butter as my favorite ( Turkey Hill Dairy - Lancaster, PA )
If you are talking Ben & Jerry’s then it would be Chubby Hubby (must be modelled after me) It was invented by a few workers at the Harley Davidson plant in York, PA
posted by bucsfan on 8-5-2008 at 2:01 pm
I love me some black licorice ice cream. And huckleberry is pretty awesome as well.
posted by qt314159265 on 8-5-2008 at 2:11 pm
2. bottles of good cream.
6. yolks of eggs.
1/2 lb. sugar
mix the yolks & sugar
put the cream on a fire in a casserole, first putting in a stick of Vanilla.
when near boiling take it off & pour it gently into the mixture of eggs & sugar.
stir it well.
put it on the fire again stirring it thoroughly with a spoon to prevent it’s sticking to the casserole.
when near boiling take it off and strain it thro’ a towel.
put it in the Sabottiere*
then set it in ice an hour before it is to be served. put into the ice a handful of salt.
put salt on the coverlid of the Sabotiere & cover the whole with ice.
leave it still half a quarter of an hour.
then turn the Sabottiere in the ice 10 minutes
open it to loosen with a spatula the ice from the inner sides of the Sabotiere.
shut it & replace it in the ice
open it from time to time to detach the ice from the sides
when well taken (prise) stir it well with the Spatula.
put it in moulds, justling it well down on the knee.
then put the mould into the same bucket of ice.
leave it there to the moment of serving it.
to withdraw it, immerse the mould in warm water, turning it well till it will come out & turn it into a plate.
posted by justlikebutter on 8-5-2008 at 2:14 pm
Jefferson’s recipe, as I make it:
Ice cream.
2 bottles of good cream
6 yolks of eggs
1/2 lb sugar
Mix the yolks & sugar
Put the cream on a fire in a casserole, first putting in a stick of vanilla
When near boiling take it off & pour it gently into the mixture of eggs & sugar
Stir it well.
Put it on the fire again stirring it thoroughly with a spoon to prevent its sticking to the casserole.
When near boiling take it off and strain it through a towel.
Put it in the (something).
Then set it in ice an hour before it is to be served. Put into the ice a handful of salt.
Put ice all around the (something). i.e. a layer of ice a layer of salt for three layers.
Put salt on the cover lid of the (something) & cover the whole with ice.
Leave it still half & quarter of an hour.
Then turn the (something) in the ice 10 minutes.
Open it to loosen with a spatula the ice from the inner sides of the (something).
Shut it and replace it in the ice.
Open it from time to time to detach the ice from the sides.
When well taken (???) stir it well with the spatula.
Put it in moulds, justling it well down on the knee.
Then put the mould into the same bucket of ice.
Leave it there to the moment of serving it.
To withdraw it, immerse the mould in warm water, tussing it well till it will come out & tuss it into a plate.
—–
I probably made a few typos there, and
(something) is the same “something” in all cases. Sabottiere? Maybe what we had known as an “ice-cream maker” — that barrel-like thing with a crank?
posted by Jeff on 8-5-2008 at 2:19 pm
I loved Ben & Jerry’s Totally Nuts (had Dilbert on the carton). There was a time in college where I practically lived on it. Nuts = protein, after all.
The TJ recipe is relatively legible for documents of that period. Looks like it calls for:
2 bottles of good cream
6 yolks of eggs
1/2 pound sugar
and, typical of recipes from that time frame, other ingredients (vanilla, salt, ice, etc.) appear further down the page. Neat reading!
Interestingly enough, my reCaptcha after this discussion of Jefferson’s ice cream recipe is “un amended.”
posted by Roger on 8-5-2008 at 2:19 pm
Good work, Jeff! I couldn’t make out “sabottiere,” either. You’re right, though - click on my name for a link to a page with a picture of one!
posted by Roger on 8-5-2008 at 2:24 pm
Favorite Ben and Jerry’s flavor–I think they stopped making it. I haven’t seen it in ages.
“One Sweet Whirled”: caramel and coffee ice creams with marshmallow and caramel swirls, loaded with coffee-flavored fudge chips.
It’s probably best that I can’t find it.
posted by bre on 8-5-2008 at 2:32 pm
Here’s our take on the recipe:
2 bottles good cream
6 yolks of eggs
½ lb sugar
Mix the yolks and sugar
Put the cream on a fire in a casserole, first putting in a stick of vanilla.
When near boiling, take it off and pour it gently into the mixture of eggs and sugar.
Stir it well.
Put it on the fire again, stirring it thoroughly with a spoon to prevent it’s (sic) sticking to the copper casserole.
When near boiling take it off and strain it thru (sic) a towel.
Then put it in the sabottiere.
Then set it in ice for an hour before it is to be served.
Put into the ice a handful of salt, (sic) put ice all around the sabottiere. i.e., a layer of ice a layer of salt for three layers. Put salt on the cover lid of the sabottiere and cover the whole with ice. Leave it still half a quarter of an hour. The turn the sabottiere in the ice 10 minutes. Open it to loosen with a spatula the ice from the inner sides of the sabottiere.
Shut it and replace it in the ice. Open it from time to time to detach the ice from the sides. When well taken (prise) stir it well with the spatula. Put it in moulds, jostling it well down on the knee. Then put the mould into the same bucket of ice. Leave it there to the moment of serving it. To withdraw it, immerse the mould in warm water, turning it well till it all come out and turn it into a plate.
A sabottiere is a metal container similar to the inside canister of a hand-cranked ice cream maker. This is probably a recipe Tom got in France. The docent at his country home, Poplar Forest in southern Virginia, said that the family frequently enjoyed ice cream during their summer visits.
Translating this was an interesting task for three librarians!
posted by Melissa on 8-5-2008 at 2:35 pm
Thanks, Roger. Your link is actually broken, but I figured it out (needs “%20″ instead of “20″), and the picture identifies the device as a “sabotiere”, which dictionary.com defines as “a kind of freezer for ices”.
posted by Jeff on 8-5-2008 at 2:38 pm
oh wow…i think of mr. tastee EVERY time i see an ice cream cone
posted by Petunia on 8-5-2008 at 2:48 pm
I like pure, simple ice cream with nothing I can’t pronounce. Breyer’s Mint Chocolate Chip is a fav.
BTW, you misspelled Haagen-Dazs in the entry. It also has no meaning — it’s a made-up name.
posted by kellie on 8-5-2008 at 2:51 pm
favorite: ALL time….oatmeal cookie batter by Cold Stone Creamery. My standard though is Peanut Butter Cup by Ben & Jerry…..peanut butter flavored ice cream?!?!! Mmmmm….
Best recipe: Go to store with money. Works every time.
posted by Josh! on 8-5-2008 at 2:54 pm
I’m the third Adrienne who loves ice cream!
I had it for lunch, in fact, well frozen custard. For shame!!!! :o
My favorite is cookies ‘n’ cream OR Breyer’s Vanilla Bean.
posted by mrs.djs on 8-5-2008 at 2:56 pm
All time favourite and I am pretty sure only available in Toronto Canada - Greg’s Ice Cream in Roasted Marshmallow - just fantastic!
posted by Katie on 8-5-2008 at 3:22 pm
I adore ice cream.
My favorite flavor at the moment is mint chocolate chip, but I go through different stages.
I also love Edy’s Coney Island Waffle Cone but I haven’t seen it in a while.
A few years back I was on a Edys Banana Pudding kick.
I change my favorite flavors periodically, but I always like ice cream. I usually prefer Edy’s brand to Ben & Jerry’s though.
I also like chunky ice cream. I want stuff mixed in. My son will only eat single flavors - no chunks of any kind and don’t mix two different flavors.
posted by Karen on 8-5-2008 at 3:36 pm
I can’t believe it took 20 comments for somebody to mention Graeter’s! Anyone from Cincinnati knows it doesn’t matter what flavor, as long as you get the scoop with the enormous chocolate chip.
posted by Pete on 8-5-2008 at 3:52 pm
I’m not into Ben & Jerry’s. I think there’s too much going on. I love mint chocolate chip from Baskin Robbins. The chips are more like flakes and you don’t get frozen chocolate stuck in your teeth because you had to chew it.
Breyer’s has a mint chocolate chip that I get sometimes. I’m not sure why, but the ice cream is white instead of the normal green. Interesting sight-taste experience.
posted by Tricia on 8-5-2008 at 4:03 pm
Favorite ice cream shop flavor: Baskin Robbins Jamocha Almond Fudge
Favorite grocery store flavor: Mayfield Moose Tracks
Favorite homemade: peach, with peaches we had just picked from the orchard *nostalgic sigh*
posted by DB on 8-5-2008 at 4:23 pm
I’m usually a chocolate purist, but with my ice cream I like it all mixed up - rocky road is a favorite of mine, as is cookies ‘n cream. I remember my Dad always ordering Pistachio and muscadine … gross.
Also, sorry guys for jumping the gun with the post today. Allison 0, WordPress 1
posted by Allison Keene on 8-5-2008 at 4:23 pm
I love mint chocolate chip ice cream. Edy’s (Dreyer’s) has the best in my opinion.
And Josh! stole my ice cream recipe!! ;-P
reCaptcha: bitter Dis (reference to Josh!?)
posted by Amy on 8-5-2008 at 5:05 pm
The best is homemade Toasted Coconut Ice Cream.
It is so tasty and creaming the flavor explodes in your mouth. And I hate coconut, but love this ice cream.
I got the recipe from Jeremy Jackson’s must-have book “Deserts That Have Killed Better Men Than Me” I cannot find a copy of the recipe online, but you can pick up the book used at Amazon for less than $2.
The book is my first reference for any desert and worth the price for the ice cream alone. However, every single recipe in the book is to die for (plus an entertaining read).
posted by n2y2 on 8-5-2008 at 5:33 pm
Mint chocolate chip!
Actually, I don’t much care for chips interrupting my ice cream, just as I don’t like nuts interrupting my brownies.
So maybe just mint?
Yummm.
posted by Eileen on 8-5-2008 at 7:35 pm
My favorite flavors, since gone on to the the graveyard, are Ben And Jerry’s Rainforest Crunch and Rule Britannia(vanilla with strawberry and shortbread). Also, Tricia, Breyers mint chocolate is white because they don’t add green food coloring. Even though mint leaves are dark green, if you macerate the leaves or make a simple syrup it’ll have a barely noticable green tint.
posted by kani on 8-5-2008 at 8:23 pm
Purity Dairy’s Moosetracks! I know people who have moved here because of it.
posted by PartiallyDeflected on 8-5-2008 at 9:35 pm
First, I LOVE ice cream.
Second, I hate the sound of the ice cream man (and his/her overpriced non-goodness)
Third, I go to Lik’s nearly every day which is the most wonderful ice cream destination in Colorado - 13th and Vine in Denver.
Fourth, my favorite flavor (this week) is mocha mountain madness: Mocha ice cream base with fudge swirls and crushed Oreo cookies. I mean - COME ON!
posted by Sara B on 8-5-2008 at 10:28 pm
I love ice cream, but because of milk allergies, my wife & kids can’t have it (but they sometimes cheat a little) so I have to get my ice cream fix on the sly so as not to tempt them unduly. Gotta love genetics; my wife had the allergy & passed it on to all four kids.
My sneaking around is usually on the order of, “I’ve got a few errands to run”, or “Here; let me run to the grocery store for you sweetheart.” She’s usually wise to what’s going on when I come home with chocolate on my breath.
There’s a local ice cream shop — B&G Milky Way — that has great soft-serve chocolate, but unfortunately we don’t have much for hand-scooped ice cream shops. I do get small containers of fudge swirl or something similar into the house from time to time.
I feel like such a sneak sometimes.
posted by Dave on 8-5-2008 at 11:41 pm
Mint Chocolate Chip - I’ve never been disappointed by it, unlike some bad peanut butter or chocolate ice creams.
The worst ever flavour I’ve tasted -
Lavender. It was like Bubble Bath Ice Cream. grooooss!
posted by Mare on 8-6-2008 at 12:05 am
I’m vegan, but I don’t have to go without ice cream, as there are plenty of dairy-free choices on the market these days (Dave, you should check them out for your family!). My favorite is Purely Decadent Cookie Dough. Man, it is delicious. My name links to their site. There’s also Tofutti, Soy Dream, Temptation, Rice Dream.. but yeah, Purely Decadent is definitely my favorite.
posted by Celeste M. on 8-6-2008 at 1:48 am
For me Coffee, in it’s many forms (Coffee,Coffee,Zoom,Zoom). It brings me back to Charlie White’s drug store. With the soda fountain on one side, the cosmetics on the other, and the apothecary along the back, kids had to wait for the adults to be helped before being served. With no self serve, Mr. White retrieved each item personally, unless Mrs. White was helping out that day.
posted by gus on 8-6-2008 at 5:18 am
My favorites are all soft-serve. I’ve been making homemade. The easiest is chocolate. Just one cup of a ready made 2% chocolate milk (I think it is the carrageen that gives it a good texture). You can also use one cup of a thicker soy milk, like Silk or Organic Valley, mixed with 1/2 cup mashed fruit. The texture isn’t very good with out the fruit. Put in an icecream freezer and churn for at least 10 minutes, until the mix is frozen to the desired consistency.
posted by AH on 8-6-2008 at 9:39 am
bragging here-
It has to be my homemade honey-pistachio.
posted by paige on 8-6-2008 at 11:46 am
I once had beer ice cream in Amherst, MA, and it was actually really good! Kind of like a malty flavor.
posted by leigh on 8-6-2008 at 12:38 pm
Yes! Graeter’s! Black Raspberry Chip is the best, I was found a chip that was the circumference of the pint. mmmmm.
posted by Kathleen on 8-6-2008 at 2:20 pm
Amy’s (only in Texas) - Mango
Cold Stone - My Strawberry Blonde
Haagen Daz - Pistachio
Ben & Jerry’s - I don’t know the name but it is chocolate ice cream with huge chunks of brownie in it (don’t get it in a grocery store though, the brownie gets mushy. the fresh bought in the store is the best).
I’m a bit of an ice-cream snob I guess because Dryers, Marble Slab and Blue Bell don’t cut it with me.
posted by Pink Coat on 8-6-2008 at 4:49 pm
Thanks, Celeste M.: We buy Rice Dream occasionally, but it’s like three times the price of premium ice cream, and with four kids it either gets expensive fas or doesn’t last long. And they do cheat a little now & then; they just can’t do it too often or eat too much or they pay for it with headaches and crabbiness.
posted by Dave on 8-6-2008 at 10:07 pm
Ice cream! I love it, even though I’m lactose intolerant. Here in NZ, the ice cream is just amazing - I’m not sure what they are feeding the cows!
The best brand here (in my opinion) is Kapiti Ice Cream. They have several gourmet flavors, and every single one is good. Unfortunately, they are also v. expensive!
The favorite flavor here is called “Hokey Pokey”. I love anything chocolate, though…
posted by Dawn on 8-9-2008 at 4:55 am
My favorite is Ben & Jerry’s Coffee Heath Bar Crunch! Coffee flavored ice cream with large chunks of Heath bar - yummy!
I spent one summer in Chicago and the grocery store near me carried an Edy’s Tiramisu flavor, which was amazing, but I’ve never seen it since. Which is probably good for my waistline…
Now I want to go to the grocery store and get some ice cream!
posted by Nicole on 8-9-2008 at 7:32 pm