Ice Cream Fun Facts
Frozen desserts come in many forms.
Ice Cream consists of a mixture of dairy ingredients such as milk and nonfat milk, and ingredients for sweetening and flavoring, such as fruits, nuts and chocolate chips. Functional ingredients, such as stabilizers and emulsifiers, are often included in the product to promote proper texture and enhance the eating experience. By federal law, ice cream must contain at least 10% milkfat, before the addition of bulky ingredients, and must weigh a minimum of 4.5 pounds to the gallon.
1. Frozen Custard or French Ice Cream must also contain a minimum of 10% milkfat, as well as at least 1.4 % egg yolk solids.
2. Sherbets have a milkfat content of between 1% and 2%, and a slightly higher sweetener content than ice cream. Sherbet weighs a minimum of 6 pounds to the gallon and is flavored either with fruit or other characterizing ingredients.
3. Gelato is characterized by an intense flavor and is served in a semi-frozen state that is similar to "soft serve" ice cream. Italian-style gelato is more dense than ice cream, since it has less air in the product. Typically, gelato has more milk than cream and also contains sweeteners, egg yolks and flavoring.
4. Sorbet and Water Ices are similar to sherbets, but contain no dairy ingredients.
5. A Quiescently Frozen Confection is a frozen novelty such as a water ice novelty on a stick.
6. Frozen Yogurt consists of a mixture of dairy ingredients such as milk and nonfat milk which have been cultured, as well as ingredients for sweetening and flavoring.
7. Novelties are separately packaged single servings of a frozen dessert such as ice cream sandwiches, fudge sticks and juice bars that may or may not contain dairy ingredients.
8. Vanilla is the #1 selling flavor.
9. Chocolate syrup is the worlds favorite topping to put on ice cream. But in WA it’s Spearmint!
10-. The major ingredient in ice cream is air. One of the major ingredients in Ice Cream is air, and without it, it would be as hard as a rock. It takes only ½ litre of milk plus cream, sugar and flavourings to make one litre of Ice Cream.
11. July is National Ice Cream Month in the US. It was created by Ronald Reagan in 1984.
12. It takes approximately 50 licks to finish off a scoop of ice cream.
13. The United States is the top ice cream consuming country in the world. New Zealand is second and Aussies are a close third.
14. According to the Guinness the largest ice cream pyramid was made in August of 2002. The pyramid had 3,894 scoops, totaled 22 layers and weighed 1,005 pounds. The pyramid was 53 inches high.
15. The largest ice cream cake weighed in at 12,096 pounds.
16. The history of ice cream dates back to the second century B.C.! Many believe that it was invented in China.
17. Nero used to send slaves to the mountains around 62 A.D. to bring fresh snow to the royal kitchens. This snow was then flavored with fruits and juices to make flavored ice.
18. Another popular tale gives credit to the chef of King Charles I as the inventor of Ice Cream. The King made the chef keep the recipe a secret, but after Charles’ beheading in 1649, the chef blabbed and soon all the nobility in Europe were enjoying Creme Ice.
19. In 1812 the first lady, Dolley Madison, served ice cream at the second inaugural ball.. Dolley Madison, James Madison's wife is supposed to have served ice cream at the dinner when her husband became President.
20. In 1845 the hand-cranked ice cream freezer was invented.
21. It takes 3.5litres of milk to make 5 litres of Gelato. 2litres to make 5litres of ice-cream
22. The ice cream cone was invented in 1896 with a patent being issued in 1903 to Italo Marchiony.
23. The widespread use of ice cream cones occurred after its introduction at the St. Louis.
24. World’s Fair in 1904 and many credit this as the birth of the ice cream cone. So just like the birth of ice cream, nobody knows for sure when the cone really was invented.
25. Ice Cream is a delicious dessert made from cream or milk. These ingredients are combined with flavorings and sweeteners, such as sugar, and possibly other ingredients. The mixture is stirred slowly while cooling to prevent large ice crystals from forming; the result is a smoothly textured Ice Cream.
26. More Ice Cream is sold on Sunday than any other day of the week.
27. The average number of licks to polish off a 1/2 cup scoop of Ice Cream is 50.
28. Approximately 13 per cent of men and eight per cent of women admit to licking the bowl after eating Ice Cream!
29. Children between the ages of two and 12, and adults over 45 eat the most Ice Cream.
30. Ice Cream novelties such as Ice Cream on sticks and Ice Cream bars were introduced in the 1920’s. Adults consume nearly one-half of all Ice Cream novelties.
31. The ice cream sundae was invented to allow people to enjoy the cold treat on Sunday (the Lord's day) when slurping was not allowed.
32. The first ice cream shop was opened in Baltimore in 1851. Because freezers were not invented until the 1930's, the ice cream was made at the time you ordered it and enjoyed immediately.
33. Clarence Birdseye was the father of freezing foods. His work made it possible to freeze and sell ice cream like we see today in grocery stores. It doesn't matter if it is in a cone, between cookies or covered in hot fudge, today ice cream is a treat that can be enjoyed by children and adults.
