Everything You Didn't Know About Vanilla Ice Cream

Vanilla ice cream is America’s top choice out of over five hundred different flavors available today. As the years go by, tastes change and have developed into thousands of combinations. However, Vanilla remains the flavor of choice for most of the population. What makes this flavor so unique? How long has it been available? And how has it developed?

The vanilla bean itself has medicinal properties in folklore and general use. Vanilla has long been known to calm the mind, create a ‘feel good’ feeling, and aid in relaxation. The vanilla bean itself is grown in various parts of the world in pods; the pods are picked and then sold for distribution. The quality of the vanilla bean varies by region, and it is used in baking, cooking, fragrances, and even modern medicine. Crushed vanilla beans are often considered a gourmet item, as they are purchased fresh.  Vanilla is the most labor-intensive agricultural product in the world, and can take up to 18 monthso to cultivate properly.  Vanilla extract is a processed version (unless it is labeled pure or organic), and is often used in general baking and available in most supermarkets.

Making ice cream from a recipe was the idea of Thomas Jefferson. At this time, ice cream was actually just an ‘iced cream’ as it was made out of fresh cream, sugar, and flavoring. Egg yolks were a later addition as the treat became popular and egg yolks added a creamier texture. Since ice houses were not invented until the late 1800s, the dessert was an elite-only privilege. The first ice cream parlor opened in New York in 1776. As ice houses and then ice making machines became popular, the dessert became a widespread phenomenon. Even today, America is the leading consumer of ice cream compared to Europe, Asia, and Australia. It remains a childhood favorite, and the varieties continue to multiply. It was offered to the immigrants on Ellis Island in the 1920s, and quickly became a part of American culture.