August 2006

A Slice of History
How Ice Cream Became Our Favorite Summer Treat

By Ana Kinkaid

It’s impossible to think of summer without that great, big, beautiful bowl of ice cream in front of us, cold and refreshing. But ice cream was once a dessert for only the elite and wealthy. The story of how it became everyone’s favorite dessert is a story about American creativity and freedom of choice.

Benjamin Franklin was the first American to write about ice cream. As our ambassador to France during the Revolutionary War, he understood that the French did their real business over long meals. So, Franklin, who loved people and food, dined his way to diplomatic success. At the elegant buffets, Franklin first encountered what the French called “iced creams.” Franklin wrote home about the delightful new dessert. Soon it was the rage among the elite and powerful in America.

Why was ice cream, as the Americans now called it, only for the rich and powerful? Mainly because it took so many servants to prepare it that only the wealthy could afford it.

First, one had to chip expensive ice into a large bowl. A smaller bowl, containing the cream, was then nestled into the larger bowl. Two servants were required to turn the large bowl, while a third servant scraped the forming ice cream from the sides of the smaller bowl. As you can imagine, the average frontier housewife wasn’t going to do all that work after a long day in the fields.

We have two wonderfully creative women to thank for changing ice cream from a fad food to the dessert we all enjoy - Dolly Madison and Nancy Johnson.

Dolly Madison was a remarkable First Lady, who established many of the traditions of the White House. Born a Quaker and married twice, she was short, fun and a great hostess, who viewed the White House not as a private mansion of the rich, but as a great home that reflected all that was best in America, and that included food. She brought the best cooks to White House to create American dishes with American ingredients to impress foreign guests. One such chef was Sallie Shadd, a black caterer famed for her ice creams. At James Madison’s second inaugural ball, which was open to anyone who wanted to come, ice cream was offered to everyone. The word was out: this stuff is good!

But ice cream was still available only in restaurants because it was almost impossible to make at home without servants. In 1843, a practical American woman named Nancy Johnson attached a crank and handle to the side of a bucket and set a smaller sealed container inside it. Around this container, she packed ice and salt. (The salt helps melt the ice and so lower the freezing temperature.) Turning the crank turned the small container, which became colder and colder as it circled through the ice. The liquid placed inside thickened, and the result was ice cream for everyone, no servants required. Democracy in action!

The newest trend in ice cream making is Shake and Make Ice Cream, made in the park or your own back yard using Zip-loc® freezer bags. Give it a try and continue the fun of making ice cream in the innovative American way.

Make and Shake Ice Cream
(single serving recipe)

Ingredients
Half-cup milk
Half-teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon sugar
4 cups crushed ice
4 tablespoons rock or table salt
2 quart-sized Zip-loc® bags and
1 gallon-sized Zip-loc® bag,
preferably freezer weight
Plastic spoon

Directions
Mix the milk, vanilla and sugar together in one of the quart bags.
Seal completely, removing as much air as possible from the bag before closing.
Place the filled quart bag inside the remaining quart bag,
removing as much air as possible, and seal.
Put the double-bagged ice cream mixture bag inside the gallon bag.
Fill with ice and put the salt on top. Remove as much air as possible.
Seal the large outer bag.
Toss the bag around for five to eight minutes, checking to see
that ice is surrounding the mixture evenly.
Open and throw the gallon bag away.
Open the quart bag and enjoy your ice cream right
there! (No mess, no bowls, no cleanup!)

Ana Kinkaid is a Seattle culinary historian who consults with chefs interested in the heritage of American cuisine. Her clients have included the White House, regional museums and major Northwest hotels.

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Northwest Parent Media
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