It’s hard to say no to ice cream, whether it’s summer or wintertime. This tasty treat is delicious year-round. In fact, did you know that ice cream sales go up during colder months? Or that Alexander the Great and Nero were big fans of ancient versions of ice cream?
After reading this list of cool facts about ice cream, you may have to get some to satisfy your cravings.
1. Ice cream was first produced on a large scale in 1851 when a milkman named Jacob Fussell opened the first ice cream shop in Boston, Maryland to keep up with the demand for his product.
2. However, Fussell wasn’t the first person to open an ice cream shop. Fifty years before the first industrial production of the desert, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was already considered the ice cream capital of the world thanks to the number of ice cream shops, its high-quality ice cream product, and the famous vanilla and egg flavor named after the city.
3. But ice cream goes back even further. Alexander the Great is said to have enjoyed snow flavored with nectar and honey.
4. Between the late 1600s and early 1700s, Europeans already developed methods of making ice cream and experimenting with flavors even before ways to freeze the desert were invented. From breadcrumbs to grated cheese to candied orange flowers, confectioners weren’t afraid to see what stuck. In typical baroque fashion, ice cream was often elaborately served with much ado about its shape and presentation.
5. An Italian immigrant named Giovanni Bosio opened America’s first ice cream store opened in 1770. Back then, it was called a Gelateria after the Italian-style ice cream Bosio sold.
6. At no surprise to anyone, the U.S. is the world’s largest producer of ice cream. Also, Americans eat more ice cream than any other country. Nearly 90% of households consume it, and the average American eats 48 pints per year.
7. The most popular flavor of ice cream (at least in the U.S.) is vanilla, closely followed by chocolate, strawberry, and cookies ‘n cream.
8. Surprisingly, chocolate ice cream was invented before vanilla.
9. Ice cream sales are higher in the winter. However, this is in part to the fact that during the winter, store-bought containers of ice cream sell more, when ice cream parlor sales drop. During the summer, takeout for the treat goes back to its normal levels.
10.Want to enjoy the taste of ice cream but don’t want to feel the guilt? Hawaii is home to the “ice cream bean,” a fruit that tastes like vanilla ice cream.
11. Ever wondered how much the most expensive ice cream in the world costs? Per scoop, Scoopi’s Black Diamond ice cream is an astounding $817 per scoop. This luxury version of the common man’s dessert is topped with gold karat flakes, Italian truffles, and rare Iranian saffron. The only question is if its as tasty as it is decadent.