Tag: Chocolate

Ice Cream And Its Wworldwide Popularity

While ice cream is generally considered to be as American as baseball, hotdogs and apple pie, Americans have no monopoly on the love for this famous dessert. People worldwide share an affinity for ice cream in its many forms and varieties.

In Italy, ice cream is a very popular dessert. The Italian style of ice cream, which is called gelato, is now being sold in some parts of the United States. There are a number of differences between Italian gelato and American ice cream. Contrary to common misconception, gelato does not contain any gelatin. Gelato contains much less fat than the American styles of ice cream, and its consistency is not as hard-frozen as its American ice cream counterparts. Gelato is usually made of fresh, all-natural ingredients. Produced in many of the same flavors as ice cream, nuts or chocolate chips are occasionally added. It is not surprising that this “new ice cream” has made its way to the United States, and is growing in popularity.

After the United States, New Zealand tops in the world’s ice cream consumption, at twenty litres per year. The New Zealand Ice Cream Company states that their Calci-Lite dairy dessert was likely the world’s first low-fat, calcium-fortified ice cream. Not wishing to sacrifice taste, this ice cream is made in seven flavors, including Saucey Chocolate Orange, Chocolate Malted, and Honeyed Vanilla. As an interesting fact, showing that ice cream truly is a universal favorite, two of New Zealand’s Tip Top Ice Cream Company’s most popular products are Rocky Road ice cream and Eskimo Pies!

Australia is the world’s third largest consumer of ice cream. Although some Australians like to make their own ice cream, the commercially-made types which most enjoy as a basic part of their diet are standard ice cream, soft serve, and Italian gelato!

Ice cream is also a favored treat amongst people in Japan. While the Japanese enjoy the same ice cream flavors that are most popular worldwide, such as vanilla, chocolate and strawberry, they also have a number of varieties which are quite unique! Of Japan’s unique list of ice cream flavors, such as Cactus ice cream, Chicken Wing ice cream, and Wasabi ice cream, there is one which has recently begun to attain acceptance in the United States Green Tea ice cream. Green Tea ice cream is not difficult to make, consisting of green tea powder, milk, egg yolks, sugar, and heavy cream.

The French love ice cream, too, and have many ice cream shops which specialize not only in ice cream but also soft serve and gelato. Chez Scoop, which is deemed to be one of the best shops in Paris, offers tourists and local customers the same universally-loved flavors of ice cream, such as vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. Other styles of ice cream which are popular in Paris are the Grasshopper (vanilla ice cream with mint) and the Tortoise (vanilla ice cream with chocolate, caramel, and pecans). The French are also partial to ice cream which is topped with Vermont maple syrup!

Ice cream is so popular in the United Kingdom that the Ice Cream Alliance has existed since 1944. While mainly directed toward producers and sellers of ice cream, the Alliance also holds annual ice cream competitions. Although the United Kingdom consumes considerably less ice cream than the United States, they presently have more than a thousand ice cream companies. The British enjoy many of the same flavors as Americans, but have some which are likely unique to their region, such as Black Pudding ice cream and Newcastle Brown Ale ice cream.

Ice Cream, the Great American Dessert

Ice cream, America’s favorite treat, has been around for a very long time. It may be America’s favorite treat, but ice cream did not originate in the United States. Ice cream has evolved throughout a history that goes back over 2000 years to around 200 B.C. In the 1st Century, Nero, the fifth and last Roman Emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty (A.D. 37 – 68), ordered his slaves to bring ice back to him from the mountains. The ice which was used to make an iced mixture with his favorite fruit toppings mixed in.

Another form of ice cream was made by King Tang of China (A. D. 618-97). He combined ice and milk. From China ice cream was brought to Europe when, in the 1200’s Marco Polo had brought an ice cream sorbet recipe back with him to Europe from the Far East. The recipe called for the ingredients snow and milk.

Ice cream was later imported from Europe to the United States where it was served by Presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson to their guests. Historians say that George Washington really loved his ice cream and ate large amounts of it.

In New York City, in 1776, the first ice cream parlor was opened. The word ice cream was started by the American Colonists. They first called it “iced” cream and it was later shortened to “ice” cream.

When First Lady Dolly Madison was in the white house from 1809 to 1817, she served ice cream to guests.

The hand crank ice cream maker or freezer was invented in 1846 by Nancy Johnson. Today, ice cream is still made using the basic method of the hand-crank ice cream freezer. In 1848 a similar ice cream freezer, the Johnson Patent Ice-Cream Freezer was patented. By 1850 ice cream had become a popular treat. It wasn’t until 1851 that Jacob Fussell’s Baltimore Company began to manufacture and market ice cream commercially.

The ice cream cone was invented in St. Louis, Missouri in 1904 when on July 23 Charles E. Minches thought of making a pastry cone and filled it with two ice cream scoops. The ice cream cone first appeared at the St. Louis World’s Fair later in the year where, historians believe, there were more than 50 ice cream cone vendors. Historians also believe that the ice cream cone had actually been invented by many people, all at around the same time.

In 1926 Clarence Vogt came up with a process of continuously freezing ice cream for the commercial manufacturing of ice cream. By the 1930’s ice cream had a huge increase in popularity and many flavors of ice cream and sherbets had become available. By the 20th Century many flavors of ice cream were being sold on a large scale in grocery stores, supermarkets and ice-cream franchises.

Ice cream is so popular that it has its own month of celebration! President Ronald Reagan proclaimed in 1984 that July is National Ice Cream Month, with the third Sunday of every July being National Ice Cream Day. President Reagan declared that over 90 per cent of the population enjoys ice cream and that ice cream is a healthy, nutritious and fun food that should be appropriately celebrated.

Besides the obvious delicious benefits of ice cream, ice cream helps the nation because over $21 billion in sales are generate every year by ice cream. The industry creates thousands of jobs for Americans and keeps the cows busy. Ice cream manufacturing uses around 9 percent of all the milk produced by American Dairy Farmers.

How We Are Influenced To Want Ice Cream

The American public is influenced to want ice cream. It is not about “subliminal messages” or anything else of an unusual nature. The public is naturally influenced by what we see and what we hear. The truth is that whatever our own personal opinion or reaction that fact may be, we cannot discount the strong influence the media has over our choice of what we purchase and consume. It affects various people in various ways, but it does in fact affect us all. One of the best effects is that it keeps both the ice cream companies and the consumers happy!

One aspect of influence is that the American public loves its celebrities. While this particular subject may not be as strong an influential factor on the older members of the population, it is one of the most important for the youngsters. Children love to emulate their favorite celebrities; and as more and more celebrities put every personal aspect of the lives in the spotlight, their likes and dislikes and preferences are all displayed for their young fans to copy.

While adults may not fully understand children’s wish to eat the same foods as their favorite stars, the fact is that it does have a very strong influence on the children’s preferences. Pop star Britney Spears, for example, lists her favorite food as Cookie Dough ice cream. The current favorite ice cream of Justin Timberlake: Baskin-Robbins Daiquiri Ice.

Another influencing factor are television commercials. As companies such as ice cream companies pay to sponsor these advertisements, the point is to draw in as many potential customers as possible, and influence people’s choices in their ice cream purchases. While there are fewer of these televised commercials now than in the past, they continue to be a strong influencing factor.

A recent poll has shown that twenty percent of the viewers like these ads; and that more men than women like them. The most important point, though, is that these commercials do work. One recent report has shown that Haagen-Dazs sales have risen more than three and a half percent in one year’s time. Appealing to today’s consumer, who prefers a combination of simplicity and indulgence, the Haagen-Dazs ice cream company not only creates winning ice cream, but winning television commercials. And while the new commercial produced by Turkey Hill Dairy to advertise their new Duetto ice cream has only begun to be broadcast, so its results are not yet available, the commercial which shows painting cows to reflect the flavor swirls of the Duetto ice cream is sure to reach some degree of success in influencing consumers to try this new product.

Ice cream is popular in many media forms. This, also, is an influencing factor. When we see ice cream in movies and television shows, we want it. When we hear ice cream being sung about in popular songs, we want it. While it is unlikely that ice cream companies are behind this in any manner, they probably appreciate the influence it has on the American public’s rush to the local grocery stores to buy the ice cream products that we hear about and see. For fans who do not get enough references to ice cream in movies and songs, one also has the opportunity to download MP3s of their favorite ice cream truck tunes!

How Ice Cream Is Made

Whether ice cream is produced in large quantities for nationwide distribution, or in small amounts to be used by one’s family and friends, there are a number of ways by which ice cream can be made. While top-selling ice cream companies and individuals have some similarities and some differences in their means of production, everyone who makes ice cream has one main point in common: to turn out a great-tasting product of the finest quality.

For individuals who wish to make their own ice cream, there are a couple of methods of doing so. One of the best parts of home-made ice cream is that the process of making it can be as enjoyable as eating the result! In addition, when making your own ice cream, you can be as creative as your imagination and taste-buds will allow you to be. There are virtually no limits to the flavorings and extra tidbits you can add when you make your own. You can try the absolute basic recipes, or you can let your creativity run wild with chocolate sprinkles, nuts, coconut flakes, and many other possibilities.

One of the most important ingredients in making homemade ice cream is rock salt. The purpose of this salt is to freeze the ice cream mixture as rapidly as possible, ensuring that it will retain its creamy texture and consistency. There are three basic containers in which you can make your ice cream. The most efficient are the two types of ice cream makers there is a manual, hand-crank style, and an electric version. The Cuisinart brand offers an excellent style of electric ice cream maker, which not only makes ice cream but also frozen yogurt and sorbet, at a very reasonable price. If you want to make ice cream at a campsite, or other location where electricity is not readily available, a non-electric style may be more to your liking. These manual, hand-cranked ice cream makers are also cost-efficient, and are sold by companies such as White Mountain.

A favored method of making ice cream amongst youngster is that of making it in plastic bags. Although it can become a bit messy, children will love the process of filling zip-lock plastic bags with milk, sugar, rock salt, and a variety of flavorings or small confections. They will also enjoy eating the finished product that they have created all by themselves or with a little help! The key to making good homemade ice cream in plastic bags is being sure the rock salt is used correctly, so that your ice cream will freeze properly and keep its best texture.

The commercial ice cream companies have their own processes of making ice cream. One of the most best-loved companies has an interesting process by which condensed milk and cream become the boxed treats you will find in your grocery stores. In the first stage of the process, the ingredients of the sweet cream base are put into a blend tank for the mixing and straining part of the process. Next, the mixture goes into the pasteurizer, heating the mixture to 183 degrees to kill any bacteria which may be present. The homogenization part of the process then mixes the cream into the milk to prevent separation and provide the best consistency of the ice cream. The mixture is then allowed to chill in a cooling tank for at least four hours, thus enhancing its consistency and flavor. Afterward, the mixture is transferred to flavoring vats, and to the freezer. In addition to freezing the mixture, the freezer also adds air to the mixture, producing an even better consistency of the product. The next stop which the ice cream mixture makes is the variegater, which adds chocolate fudge or other flavored swirls, and the chambers of the fruit feeder.

After the mixing stages are complete, the ice cream is ready to be put into pint containers by the automatic filler. It is then transferred to the spiral hardener to lower its temperature to zero degrees. The finished product is then bundled for shipping to your local grocery store.

Whether you decide to make your own ice cream, or prefer Ben and Jerry’s to do the work, the final result is worth both the effort and the price.

How Ice Cream Is Made

The hand crank ice cream maker or freezer was invented in 1846 by Nancy Johnson. In 1848 a similar ice cream freezer, the Johnson Patent Ice-Cream Freezer was patented. By 1850 ice cream had become a popular treat. It wasn’t until 1851 that Jacob Fussell’s Baltimore Company began to manufacture and market ice cream commercially.

At some point in time someone figured out that using salt mixed with the ice would lower the temperature of the ingredients and that the wooden freezer bucket and paddles would open the way for the larger-scale manufacture of ice cream. Today, ice cream is still made using the basic method of the hand-crank ice cream freezer.
With nearly two billion gallons of ice cream and other frozen desserts produced in the United States yearly, there is a need for regulation. This need is met by the International Ice Cream Association. The IICA works to regulate the manufacturing and distribution of ice cream. The organization was founded in 1900 and does market research and regulatory and legislative advocacy.

Along with regulations in producing and marketing ice cream, manufacturers are doing their best to make ice cream healthier. Unfortunately, there is a lot of butterfat and calories in ice cream which, in excess, will cause problems with obesity and other weight-related illnesses.

The fat in ice cream is needed to make the texture smooth. Fat is also what makes the ice cream taste good. Low-fat ice cream does not hold the flavor the way regular ice cream does. Regular ice cream is 10 to 20 percent butterfat and 60 to 62 percent water. To qualify as true ice cream there has to be at least 10 percent fat in the ingredients. With less than 10 percent butterfat, there is more percentage of water which makes the ice cream more like tasteless ice.

Sugar is another ingredient in ice cream that helps keep the creamy mixture smooth and soft by lowering its freezing temperature. Without sugar, or other forms of sweetener, the ice cream would freeze rock solid. Sugar also makes the ice cream taste better. Sweeteners can be regular cane sugar, honey, corn sweeteners or beet sugar. Plant derivatives are stabilizers that also help keep the ice cream smooth and keep it from developing ice crystals. Mono-triglycerides and lecithin are emulsifiers that are used to aid in keeping the smooth whipped texture of the ice cream during and after freezing.

When the ingredients have been mixed in a tank, it is then pasteurized. The pasteurization process involves heating the mixture to a required temperature. Homogenization occurs next where the milk fat is broken down so that the ice cream mixture will be creamy and smooth. It is then quickly cooled to 40 degrees F and then frozen. The ice cream is frozen one batch at a time using the continuous freezer method that has evolved from the method used in the first ice-cream freezers from the 1800’s.

The paddles used in those early freezers may have been precursors to the dasher blades that are used today to keep the ice cream from being solidified. These dashers aerate the ice cream so that it will not weigh more the 4.5 pounds per gallon as required under federal regulations.

After the ice cream leaves the freezer, any chunky ingredients like candy or fruit are added to the mixture before it is packaged. The last step is sending the ice cream to sub-zero temperatures in the hardening room where it is stored until it is shipped and finally ends up in your freezer.