There’s nothing better than finding an ice cream stand on a warm summer’s day. Ice cream represents the pinnacle of British weather, and although the UK doesn’t offer the best climate, there are some glorious days to be experienced during the brief summer months. Thanks to technological advances in the kitchen, it’s now so much easier to make your own ice cream at home, and whether its strawberry or chocolate that catches your eye, you’ll be able to rustle up your favourite flavours in no time!
A History of Ice Cream
Ice cream originated during the Persian Empire around 400 BC, where people would gather small balls of snow and pour fruit concentrate over it as a desert or treat. In the coming years, the Persians took the next step in ice cream production, using vermicelli and rose water to create a special chilled food, which was served to special guests and royalty during the summer. This creation was mixed with nuts, fruits, saffron and a number of other flavours to provide a distinct taste.
Historians report that ice-based treats were used as far back as 200 BC by the Chinese; ice was brought back from the mountains and combined with plant flavours and fruits, making some of the first ever chilled delicacies. And then there were the Arabs in the 10th century, who were the first to used milk in the production of these chilled sweets, effectively creating the ice cream we know and love today.
Hundreds of years later, Charles I of England was so amazed by such frozen snow delights, that he started his own ice cream kitchen in his Palace. He even offered his chefs a lifetime’s pension to secure their secrecy of the formula, so that the ice cream could only be eaten by the royals and their guests.
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