Who invented Ice Cream?
Details are not clear about the origin of ice cream.
An Italian, Giambattista della Porta wrote a book in 1558 titled Magia Naturalis, which translates to Natural Magic. This book tells how to lower the freezing point of ice. It is unknown if he ever used this knowledge to make Ice Cream, but it did lead to the process. By adding ice and salt, the freezing temperature of the ice falls, which makes the ice colder. This drop in temperature is what helps to freeze the cream.
The first written recipe for “Icy Cream” was by Lady Anne Fanshawe. She wrote “A book of cookery and medicaments” in 1651.
The recipe for Icy Cream:
3 pints cream
boil with a blade of mace or perfume with orange water or ambergrease
let it sit with sugar
Put in a box and surround with ice
leave for 2 hours
This is pretty much the recipe used today: cream, sugar and flavor. Then use rock salt and ice to freeze.
For flavor she uses mace, which is a spice, or perfume, but the interesting ingredient is Ambergrease, (Ambergris). It is produced by the intestines of sperm whales, to assist in the passage of items out of the digestive tract. Yes, Ambergris comes with poop. It forms into a rock like substance and floats on the water and washes up on shore. The most common usage is for fragrance. Doesn’t everybody want the poop smelling perfume? Actually after it has dried without poop, it is very sought after. In fact, it is very a profitable business. Too bad it is illegal. Ambergris may be obtained without harming sperm whales, but that grey area makes it illegal.
Maybe one day we will have to try Ambergris Ice Cream, but for now we will just have to live with the many wonderful flavors that are popular today.
Alison Nye
The Arctic Scoop
Nitrogen Ice Cream Louisville
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