Ice cream is a frozen dairy-based dessert that contains milk, cream, and butterfat. Its other ingredients include eggs, nuts, gelatin, cocoa, or vanilla. At times, the mix includes fruits such as strawberries, bananas, mangoes, pineapples, and others. It is one of the most popular sweet dishes in the world.

Ice cream, as a term, was first used by American colonists. One of the most loved sweet dishes of all time has been around for more than 2,000 years. The first form of ice cream was reportedly consumed in Persia in the 6th century BC. Later on, the Greeks did it too in the form of a frozen non-dairy dessert, with fruit juice, wine, or honey.

In the 13th century, Marco Polo, a famous Italian explorer, returned home. He brought a recipe from East Asia for a drink akin to today’s sherbet. It was an icy cold drink with fruit juice. Over time, this recipe became ice cream around the 16th century. It was believed that the English discovered ice cream at about the same time. Italian Catherine de’ Medici introduced a similar icy sweet dish to France after she married Henry II of France.

It was only around 1660 that ice cream was served to the general public at the first-ever café in Paris, Café Procope, by a Sicilian named Procopio. This dessert had a recipe that contained a mix of milk, eggs, butter, and cream.

In the United States, however, ice cream made its way as a premium dish in 1744 by a confectioner, Philip Lenzi. Dolley Madison, President James Madison’s wife, introduced it later at the White House in 1813. In the late 19th century, US ice cream sodas and sundaes became popular. This was thanks to new inventions, like electricity and refrigerators. Meanwhile, the ice cream cone became popular in America when it was sold at the World’s Fair in Missouri in 1904.

Even in India, kulfi, an icy dairy dessert akin to ice cream, was popular during the 16th century in Delhi. Kulfi was prepared using dairy milk and in flavors like saffron, cardamom, cream, mango, etc. It was much denser compared to the ice creams made in the West.

An ice cream-like dish was popular in ancient China. People enjoyed a frozen dessert made of honey, fruit, and snow.

Earlier, Persians prepared a similar dessert, sherbet, by mixing fruit juices with ice or snow.

The increasing popularity of ice cream worldwide

Ice cream rooms began gaining acceptance throughout the 19th and 20th centuries in Europe and the US. There were numerous ice cream flavors for people to choose from. Popular ones were vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry, among others. Individuals later found innovative ways to consume ice cream, like with a milkshake.

In the second half of the 20th century, people consumed ice cream on a much larger scale. It was due to cheap refrigeration and softer versions of it. Interestingly, 80% of ice cream available in the US at that time was of vanilla flavor.

On the other hand, soft ice creams became a fad. They were easier to make and looked swollen due to the air mixed in. Chains like Carvel, Dairy Queen, and Tastee-Freez helped make them popular.

In the normal ice cream segment, Baskin-Robbins and Howard Johnson’s were the most popular chains in America. Each made 28 and 31 flavors, respectively. Since the 1980s, when thicker ice creams re-emerged, many popular brands have emerged. They include Chocolate Shoppe, Ice Cream Company, Häagen-Dazs, and Ben & Jerry’s.

They are now available in that country in parlors, milk bars, convenience stores, vans, or carts, and in large cartons in supermarkets.

The popularity of ice cream in India

After Indian independence, native brands like Kwality, Amul, and Vadilal opened outlets in the major cities. Ice cream rooms, however, became popular like restaurant chains in the late ’70s and early ’80s. Ice cream makers opened parlors in major cities after seeing the success of US chains.

After India’s 1990s economic liberalization, the ice cream market boomed. International players like Häagen-Dazs and Baskin-Robbins entered India. These players introduced new flavors and unique tastes to our citizens. They also customized certain ice creams to suit the palates of the local citizens.

With rising health awareness, Indian consumers want healthier ice cream. To meet their requirements, its makers have launched vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free, and dairy-free options.

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