Wednesday, October 30

National Ice Cream Day in the United States: when it is celebrated and what is its origin


Día Nacional del Helado en Estados Unidos: cuándo se celebra y cuál es su origen
Ice cream has its origins more than two thousand years ago.

Photo: Sebastian Coman Photography / Pexels

The 18 July celebrates the Day National Ice Cream in the United States . For this celebration there are special promotions , as well as various activities and contests by manufacturers of ice cream, grocery stores and ice cream parlors, to enjoy your favorite ice cream flavors.

The tradition started in 1984 when the then president Ronald Reagan designated July as National Ice Cream Month and the third Sunday of the month as National Ice Cream Day. Since the proclamation, National Ice Cream Day has been recognized by successive presidents of the United States.

Americans love ice cream, it is a favorite dessert to cool off and share with friends and family. The average American eats approximately 23 pounds of ice cream every year.

Favorite ice cream flavors in the United States are: Vanilla, Chocolate, Cookies & Cream, Mint Chocolate Chips, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Buttered Nut, Cookie Dough, Strawberry & Neapolitan.

The United States ranks second in world ice cream consumption, the highest consumer is China, according to data from the International Dairy Food Association (IDFA).

Who invented ice cream?

Helado
Photo: Somben Chea / Pexels

The origins of ice cream go back more than two thousand years ago. It is believed that the Persians invented it. They put snow in a bowl and poured concentrated grape juice on top to enjoy it as a snack. During the hot season they also enjoyed this dessert. They placed the snow in chambers known as yakhchal, where temperatures kept the snow from melting.

Alexander the Great (356 – 323 BC) enjoyed snow and ice flavored with honey. During the Roman Empire, Nero Claudius Caesar (54 – 68 AD) used to send runners into the mountains in search of snow, which was then flavored with fruit and juices. The Chinese, under the Tang dynasty around 697 AD, they began to freeze dairy products with salt and ice.

Marco Polo brought to Italy from the Far East a recipe that resembles what is now known as sorbet and that would become ice cream in the 16th century.

The birth of ice creams as they are known today would emerge in Naples, Italy, where in the 17th century Antonio Latini created a milk-based sorbet.

England seems to have discovered ice cream at the same time as the Italians. The “Cream Ice”, as it was called, was regularly served at the table of King Charles I.

According to the National Day Calendar, it would be the Quaker settlers who would bring their ice cream recipes with them . They opened the first ice cream parlors, including stores in New York and other cities during the colonial era.

To the former president of the United States Thomas Jefferson is credited with being the first American to write an ice cream recipe.

Ice cream in numbers

Helado
Photo: Teejay / Pexels

Most ice cream companies are family owned and have been in business for more than 50 years.

In 2020 ice cream makers in the The United States produced just over billion gallons of hard ice cream , according to USDA data.

American ice cream makers to carry more than $ 13 billion to the national economy and provide almost 29, 000 direct jobs that generate $ 1.8 billion in direct wages. According to IDFA, “ice cream companies help support the United States economy.”

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