Life has been busy this week and I had forgotten to let you know August 19th was National Soft Ice Cream Day #NationalSoftIceCreamDay. The other day I heard Wendy’s had Frosty’s for a $1.00 for a small cup.
I mentioned this to David yesterday and we had planned on getting a Frosty but haven’t had a chance but now that i know it’s Soft Ice Cream Day I’m going remind David we need to go get our Frosty’s or we need to go to Dickey’s for a BBQ Sandwich and some of there Soft Ice Cream. Would you like to go with us?
Besides being a great excuse to consume soft-serve like there’s no tomorrow, National Soft Ice Cream Day on August 19 reminds us of all our best memories involving the dessert — from the county fair we visited as children to the amusement park we went to with friends last year. Soft ice cream seems to pop up only in the happiest of places, and it has a fascinating history as well!
History of National Soft Ice Cream Day
Though there’s evidence that the first real ice cream possibility originated as early as 200 B.C., there aren’t any anecdotes or notable stories from the time. Early tales of ice cream include Alexander the Great and Emperor Nero of Rome, both of whom enjoyed flavored snow and ice. After Marco Polo came back to Italy from the East with an ice-cream-like recipe, it took off in Europe by the end of the 16th century. ‘Cream Ice’ was featured on the table of Charles I and, in 1553, Catherine de’ Medici brought it to France after marrying Henry II of France.
America, which was later the birthplace of soft-serve ice cream, wasn’t introduced to the dessert until the 1740s. While it may have been at dinner tables earlier, ice cream first appeared in advertisements in the U.S. in 1777. George Washington’s estate at Mount Vernon featured two ice cream pots, and he reportedly spent over $200 on ice cream over one summer!
It wasn’t until the 1800s that ice cream became accessible for the general public, thanks to newly constructed ice houses and ice cream manufacturing. By the middle of the century, ice cream manufacture and sale was a booming industry. Ice cream became part of American culture, which led to the emergence of soda fountains and sundaes. By World War II, ice cream was brought to troops to boost morale, and floating ice cream parlors were built for sailors in the Pacific.
Around the time of World War II, soft ice cream was born — though, there’s a battle over who started it. Carvel claims that the father of their brand, Tom Carvel, accidentally created soft ice cream when his ice cream truck caught a flat tire and he was forced to quickly sell off his melting wares. He soon returned and set up a permanent shop selling his softened ice cream with great success. Dairy Queen also claims to have invented soft-serve in Illinois, when J.F. McCullough and his son perfected their formula and held a massively successful all-you-can-eat trial at their friend’s store. There are also reports that Margaret Thatcher, former U.K. prime minister, helped develop American soft-serve recipes while working as a chemist at a food manufacturer!
We can’t know for sure how soft-serve came to be, or what involvement Margaret Thatcher had in it. Since those intrepid scientists innovated upon the centuries-old classic, soft-serve has been a staple at some of the most exciting venues — sporting events, amusement parks, and fairs! Today, most people can conjure up a great memory of soft-serve from childhood.
National Soft Ice Cream Day Activities
- Make ice creamWhile soft ice cream isn’t simple to make at home, today is still a great day to try your hand at making regular hard ice cream. All you need is cream, sugar, and some ice — there are many recipes online to test out today!
- Have an ice cream taste testNo two soft-serves are equal. Round up some friends and take a soft ice cream tour of the city — taste test as much as your stomach lets you! We guarantee it will be an afternoon well-spent.
- Post #NationalSoftIceCreamDay on social mediaThat beautiful soft-serve swirl is basically art and deserves a spot on your Instagram feed. Share your treat on social media to promote this sweet holiday!
5 Fun Facts About Soft Ice Cream
- It’s harder to makeBetween the prepared liquid mix, precise machinery, and the art of dispensing, making soft-serve quickly proves more complicated than making hard ice cream!
- It’s fluffyAn average serving of soft-serve ice cream contains 35% air — this keeps it fluffier than hard ice cream!
- It’s the preferred frozen snackAccording to one statistic, 70% of people will choose soft-serve over hard ice cream.
- It’s healthier than ice creamYet another reason to love ice cream’s younger sibling, soft-serve — soft-serve has 3–6% milkfat, while ice cream has 10–18%.
- It has different namesIn parts of Europe, it isn’t called ‘soft-serve,’ but rather ‘American ice cream’ and if you want a soft cone in Greece or Romania, you might order ‘machine ice cream,’ while, in Ireland, you’d ask for ‘soft whip.’
Why People Love National Soft Ice Cream Day
- National Soft Ice Cream Day is one of the most delicious days of the year and we love the excuse to indulge in one of the best desserts around. No low-fat or frozen yogurt for us — it’s soft ice cream all the way!
- It’s a new twist on ice creamWhile ice cream has been around in some form for thousands of years, soft-serve style ice cream had its start in the 1940s! It is a truly delicious innovation of an already-fantastic dessert.
- It’s a classic favoriteOver the years, soft-serve ice cream has come to be associated with fairs, carnivals, amusement parks, and more fun venues. The first lick of a soft-serve cone brings back happy childhood memories for many of us — maybe that’s why it’s been a bestselling dessert for decades.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
