The Sweet History of Ice Cream: From Ancient Treats to Modern Delights

On a hot spring afternoon in 1963, two men sent by the American CIA snuck into the cafeteria of the Havana Libre Hotel. Their directive was to retrieve a poison pill from the freezer and slip it into the chocolate milkshake of Fidel Castro, the Cuban leader known for devouring up to 18 scoops of ice cream after lunch. While the exact details of this story are contested, it is rumored that the pill froze to the freezer coils and broke, foiling the CIA’s plan and granting Castro many more days to satiate his sweet tooth. This anecdote highlights the unique role ice cream has played in our world’s history, culture, and cravings. But where did this beloved treat come from?

Ancient Origins of Cold Desserts

The first accounts of cold desserts and iced drinks date back as early as the first century. Civilizations such as ancient Rome, Mughal India, and Tang dynasty China enjoyed these icy treats, primarily reserved for the royal elites. The means to freeze these delicacies were not easily accessible. Wealthy Mediterranean nobility would send laborers to trek up high mountains to harvest glacial ice and snow. Meanwhile, ancient Persians developed shallow insulated pools of water and utilized a technique known as sky cooling. At night, these pools would naturally radiate heat into the dry desert skies, causing the temperature to dip below the ambient level and freeze.

The Evolution of Ice Cream

The cream-based treat we recognize today made its debut much later, originally inspired by sherbet, or sharbat in Arabic. This icy drink is believed to have originated in Persia and gained popularity during the Middle Ages. European travelers brought sharbat recipes back home, leading to the creation of unique flavors such as chocolate, pinecone, and even eggplant.

In 1692, Antonio Latini, a Neapolitan chef, recorded a recipe for a milk-based version of this treat, which some historians consider the first ice cream. By the 18th century, ice cream began to expand its reach as these recipes traveled alongside European settlers to North America. However, it remained a luxury primarily enjoyed by the upper classes due to the labor-intensive process of making it and the high cost of its main ingredients—sugar, salt, and cream. Notably, George Washington is said to have spent the equivalent of $6,600 in today’s dollars on ice cream in one summer alone.

The Golden Age of Ice Cream in America

It was on American soil that the frozen dessert entered its golden age. Inventors and entrepreneurs began to engineer ways to make ice cream accessible to the masses. In Philadelphia in 1843, Nancy Johnson patented a revolutionary ice cream-making machine featuring a crank and beater, simplifying the process for home cooks. By the mid-1830s, New England businessman Frederic Tudor, known as the "Ice King," significantly improved the ice trade, shipping thousands of tons of ice to households worldwide. Soon, ice cream was available on every street corner.