A little information about ice cream.
First, there are probably only a handful of foods as universally loved as ice cream. Additionally, August is a popular month for national ice cream celebrations—Ice Cream Sandwich Day (August 2), Ice Cream Cake Day (August 18), and Soft Serve Ice Cream Day (August 19).
When I think of ice cream, many fond memories come to mind. My childhood home was at the end of a cul-de-sac, a perfect place for the ice cream truck so my neighborhood friends and I could buy our favorite popsicles or pork knuckles.
At family gatherings, I loved when my Uncle “Retz” (short for Retzlaff) would make good old-fashioned vanilla ice cream and my cousins and I would take turns turning the hand crank. Freshly grown peaches and strawberries were the absolute “icing on the cake.”
And who could forget when Baskin & Robbins stores started popping up everywhere? I was a huge Dodgers fan, so Baseball Nut was my favorite flavor during the season and Pralines ‘N Cream during the off-season.
Philadelphia is the most important center of ice cream production in the USA. The ice cream cone may have originated at the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904, but Penn State University was ahead of its time with its science-based “Ice Cream Short Course,” which was introduced in 1892, “just” 132 years ago.
The week-long course is designed for beginners looking to perfect their ice cream-making skills, employees of well-known brands like Tillamook and Hershey’s, and anyone who is just curious. A newlywed couple included the course on their honeymoon, and the course is so popular that the demand for registrations can sometimes crash the system.
Ice cream has produced some fascinating news. Freeze-dried ice cream was developed for NASA, Thomas Jefferson is said to have written the first ice cream recipe, and in Ireland ice cream sandwiches are called “sliders.”
Speaking of international popularity, my favorite ice cream story happened in 1981, when I was walking through the city of Ghaziabad, India. As I approached Nirula’s 21 Flavors, I heard Randy Crawford singing “Street Lights.” I ordered two scoops of raspberry sorbet so I could listen to the entire Crusaders album.
Even though I had been travelling around the world for three months, I felt at home. I think that’s why ice cream is so popular. It’s a sweet treat that reminds people of home, family and good times.
Makes perfect sense to me.
Author, speaker and editor Cheryl Russell lives in Laguna Woods Village. You can reach her at [email protected].
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