The Village Squire, 1981-08, Page 110
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best ice cream
expensive that I found on my travels, but
Derby Dip had only one size which was
slightly larger than the others. The
texture of the soft ice cream seemed
creamier; the topping was mild but
plentiful, and the sprinkle of peanut bits
was generous. To my delight, at the very
top was a cherry. I was beginning to think
cherries had become extinct.
During my research, I found fast and
friendly service everywhere - no matter
the time of day, the number of customers
on hand or the intensity of the heat.
Everyone agreed ice cream delights
young and old.
Although my official research for a
super sundae has ended, I suspect my
unofficial quest will go on and on and on.
The history of ice cream
Incredible as it may seem, jerks and
EmperorNero,floats and Marco Polo.
mustache protectors and sundaes all have
something in common - cold, refreshing.
smooth and delicious ice cream. There
may be no better way to beat the summer
heat than by savouring delectable mouth-
fuls of that frozen confection, the same
treat that tantalized the Roman emperor
and the eastern exploer.
Ice cream seems to trace its roots to
iced beverages and water ices which were
popular in ancient times. Wines and fruit
juices were cooled with ice and snow at
the court of Nero in the first century. In
the thirteenth century Marco Polo
brought to Italy from the Orient recipes
for water ices, popular in Asia long before
his visit, and the country has become
famous for its superb gelati which
evolved from that time. The technique of
preparing these ices spread throughout
Europe and the British Isles in subse-
quent centuries.
It is presumed English colonists intro-
duced ice cream to North America in the
1600s. During the next hundred years ice
cream parlours began appearing in the
United States and. in 1846. the invention
of the hand -cranked freezer enabled
people to make more ice cream at home.
The ice cream cone was introduced for
the first time at the Louisiana Purchase
Exhibition in St. Louis in 1904. The cones
were flat, waffle -like inventions curled
into shape with a hot iron. The chocolate
coated ice cream bar arrived on the scene
in 1921, and the Eskimo Pie on a stick
followed several years later.
One of the most important adtance-
ments in the ice cream industry was the
invention in 1925 of the continuous
freezer. The discovery sparked rapid
growth and today more than 200 varieties
of the cooling treat are available in North
America.
In Canada approximately one-third of
the total milk production goes to fluid
milk and ice cream. In the late 1950s only
thirty-nine plants specialized in the
manufacture of ice cream and related
products. such as liquid ice cream mix,
novelties, milk drinks and frozen confec-
tions.
Though it is very much a part of today's
tradition to make regular visits to the
scoop counters, like so many subjects the
real fascination lies in the history. In the
early days, everybody dropped in to the
ice cream parlour, and the sights were
quite different from what one might see
today. Men donned mustache protect-
ors to keep their handle bars tidy, then
leaned over the counter to savour Square
Meals. Kids saved their pennies for
Saturday afternoon cones. Teenagers
held hands around White Mountain Foam
for two. Ladies sat on dainty chairs at
corner tables and sipped Charlotte Bus-
ses. In fact. the ice cream parlour was the
only public place where an unescorted
lady could be served without endanger-
ing her reputation.
The world's changed a lot from Nero to
Marco to mustache protectors. but the
things that really count stay the same.fl
From top: Cathy Lynn Hak, Judy Middegaal. Ann Wilson
VILLAGE SQUIRE/AUGUST 1981 PG 9