Wafer Cookie Crisp Served Ice Cream

The Joys of Ice Cream - The Celebration of National Ice Cream Day, Month

It's been around since the second century B.C.

Alexander the Great enjoyed snow and ice flavored with honey and nectar; and one thousand years later, Marco Polo returned to Italy from the far East with a recipe the resembled what is now called sherbet.

England's King Charles I regularly enjoyed "Cream Ice" during the 17th century; and Sicilian Procopio introduced a recipe blending milk, cream, butter and eggs at Cafe' Procope, the first cafe in Paris.

President George Washington spent approximately $200 for ice cream during the summer of 1790; and First Lady Dolley Madison served a strawberry ice cream creation at President James Madison's second inaugural banquet at the White House in 1813.

July is National Ice Cream Month and tomorrow, July 17, is National Ice Cream Day.

According to the International Dairy Foods Association, it was President Ronald Reagan who designated July National Ice Cream Month in 1984. He recognized ice cream as a fun and nutritious food that is enjoyed by 90 percent of the nation's population. In the proclamation, Reagan called for all people of the United States to observe these events with "appropriate ceremonies and activities."

The U.S. ice cream industry generates more than $21 billion in annual sales and provides jobs for thousands of citizens. About 9 percent of all the milk produced by U.S. dairy farmers is used to produce ice cream, contributing to the economic well-being of the nation's dairy industry. Today's total frozen dairy annual production in the U.S. is more than 1.6 billion gallons.

The first official account of ice cream in the New World is recorded in a letter written in 1744 by a guest of Maryland Gov. William Bladen. The first advertisement for ice cream in the country appeared in the New York Gazette on May 12, 1777, when confectioner Philip Lenzi announced ice cream was available "almost every day."

Until 1800, ice cream remained a rare and exotic dessert enjoyed mostly by the elite. Around 1800, insulated ice houses were invented. Manufacturing of ice cream in America was pioneered in 1851 by Baltimore milk dealer named Jacob Fussell.

With the wide availability of ice cream in the late 19th century, the American soda fountain shop and the profession of the "soda jerk" emerged in 1874. In response to religious criticism for eating sinfully rich ice cream sodas on Sundays, ice cream merchants left out the carbonated water and invented the ice cream "Sunday" in the late 1890s. The name was changed to "sundae" to remove any connection with the Sabbath.

Nordic Ware Norwegian Krumkake Iron | regulator diving

The Best Waffle Iron to Make Your Favorite Waffle

The waffle is just about served or eaten in all parts of the world today.  Today’s waffle is made of dough or batter basically made of flour, milk and eggs.  Most waffles are served as a breakfast dish usually with sweet syrup, fruit and powder sugar; however, there are wonderful dessert waffle recipes that are filled with cream or fruit and sometimes served with ice cream.  To make the best waffle at home, you will first need to select the best waffle iron and decide on which style of waffle you want it to make.

Waffles as we know them today had their beginnings during the 13th century in Europe as wafers.  They were made of an oat and barley mixture, not of the flour batter we use, but they were made in a wafer iron similar to the cast iron hinged waffle makers still produced today.  In fact, Rome still makes the cast iron waffle iron that can be used on gas stones or camp stoves.  Over the decades, the waffle changed to include styles such as the American, Belgian and Scandinavian waffle today. 

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Each style of waffle can be made by a different style of waffle iron.  Most waffle irons today are made of a durable metal with non-stick waffle plates, temperature control settings and timers to produce the best waffles right at home.  Black and Decker and Cuisinart both make an economical waffle iron for the classic American waffle.  These waffles are thin cakes with crispy outsides and come in round, square or rectangle shapes.  

The Belgian waffle is about 1 inch thick with larger pockets compared to all other varieties.  The Belgian waffle is lighter and crispier, and served with fruit and powder sugar topped with whipped cream.  Presto, Waring and Oster all make a flip-style Belgian Waffle Iron which rotates to ensure an even baking and the perfect waffle.   My favorite is the Presto FlipSide Belgian Waffle Iron which comes with 1100 watts of power and makes a 7-inch waffle with very deep pockets. 

Another one of my favorite waffles is the Scandinavian style waffle, which are thin and heart-shaped.  Also made of the same type of batter as the American or Belgian waffle, but it does require the special heart-shaped waffle iron.  Chef’s Choice has two waffle irons with the traditional heart shaped irons.  Each one makes the 5 heart-shaped, thin waffles that can be served with raspberries or strawberries, powder sugar and whipped cream.  This Scandinavian style Waffle Iron makes a wonderful wedding, engagement or anniversary gift.

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