History of Gelato - An Italian Ice Cream With an Intense Flavor

Frozen treats have been around for thousands of years. There are various fascinating stories surrounding these tasty frozen treats and still some mystery behind the origins.

The Emperors of China had flavors such as honey or fruit added to snow to make frozen desserts.
It is believed that Nero, Emperor of Rome, sent slaves to the mountains to bring back ice and snow that was then mixed with fruit or honey.

It was the addition of milk that first made these frozen treats "ice cream". The Tang Dynasty in China claims the credit for adding cow and goat milk to grounded rice and letting it ferment. Ninety four icemen were in charge of this duty for the King Tang of Shang, not a job that you would easily find today.

Bernardo Buontalenti, a Florentine cook, is credited with inventing modern ice cream in 1565. The first ice cream machine was invented by Sicilian Francesco Procopio dei Coltelli.

At first, gelato was a treat only for the rich. It could only be made in small quantities and had to be eaten within a few hours since it required too much ice to keep it frozen. It wasn't until the first gelato carts were invented in the 1920s that the popularity of the concoction really grew. The city of Varese in Italy claims credit for this invention.

With the creation of better ways to refrigerate and freeze foods, frozen desserts become more available to the general public. As the popularity of frozen treats grew, different countries created their own versions. Gelato is considered the ice cream of Italy. The frozen dessert is made with many of the same ingredients as ice cream but with considerably less fat content and usually less sugar. The reason gelato contains less fat is due to the fact it's made with milk instead of cream.

The mix of water and sugar in gelato is what keeps it from freezing solid like ice cream. The mix acts as a kind of anti-freeze. Generally, gelato is made in two ways. One is a hot process that includes pasteurization. In the U.S. a cold process is also popular.

While ice cream can be kept in a freezer for several months, gelato is best eaten within a few days. Gelato is flavored with a variety of things including fruit and cocoa. Nuts, cookies, waffle biscuits, and chocolate flakes are sometimes added later, after the gelato is frozen.

People eating gelato for the first time are often surprised by the intense flavor. With less fat in the mix, the flavors are more pronounced.

Less air is whipped into gelato as opposed to ice cream. This makes in much denser and also adds to its more intense flavor. The consistency is softer making it so it has some similarities to soft-serve ice cream in the U.S.

When looking for a place to try gelato, always insist on one that uses natural, not artificial flavors. Preferably, look for a shop that makes its own gelato in-house. Once you've sampled the intense flavors of gelato you may never return to ice cream again. Whether you choose a fruity concoction or chocolate covered in sprinkles, you won't regret your choice. It's certainly an indulgence on the pallet; one would never guess it's a healthier alternative to some other dessert options.

Who Invented Ice Cream? And Ice Cream Cone History

Want to know who invented ice cream? Do know the history of the cone? Do you think you have an idea? Debates have swirled over these topics for centuries. Here, we'll present the facts on this frozen treat and on ice cream cone history and you can decide who you think invented one of the world's most popular treats.

There are many myths and legends and other documented stories concerning who invented ice cream. Some are true; others are just plain myth. Ready for some entertaining reading?

The following blurbs are fun and would be a great conversation piece as you serve up your next bowl of homemade frozen goodness. So, can you decide what is true or not? Picture these fascinating scenes...and you decide! Just who invented ice cream?

History Myth, Folklore...and Truth?!

* During the 400s B.C., people were already eating frozen treats! Royalty from Persia enjoyed ice mixed with various flavors and fruit.

* Alexander the Great (356-323 B.C.) is well known for his love of eating snow that was flavored with honey and nectar.

* Nero, a powerful Roman emperor (54-68 A.D.), had snow and ice brought to him from the hills by slaves. Nero was so intent on getting his beloved treat, that if it melted before it got back to him, he would execute the slaves! Nero also had rooms built beneath his palace in order to store what the slaves brought back. He would top his frozen treat with some juicy fruit!

* During the 1500s, Mughal emperors had horsemen bring them ice so that they could make fruit sorbets.

* In 1533, the French King Henry II married the Italian Catherine de' Medici. Her Italian chefs that she brought with her to France were able to make sorbets through their special ability to flavor ice. So, the idea was in France and it spread to Italy. But how did it get to France?

* There was another famous king who loved to eat flavored snow: Charles I of England. Since this treat was so precious to King Charles, he sought to keep it a royal treat. He bribed the chef with money in order to keep the recipe a royal secret. What happened when King Charles died? You guessed it! The chef spread it like wild fire!

What about the History of the Cone?

The cone. Who invented it? Just like with who invented ice cream, cone history is disputed. Again, I'll present what is reported and you decide!

Italo Marchiony is credited with inventing a dish you can eat that was made for holding this frozen favorite in 1896. This may not have been a cone, though.

David Avayou insists that he was the one to whom credit should go for making the cone popular in St. Louis in 1904 at the World Fair. He saw how the frozen desserts were served in paper cups in France, and sought to improve upon the idea. After experimenting, he made the cone.

Charles Menches also wants some recognition...but why? His claim may seem to be plausible, but what is it?

The same is with Ernest Hamwi. Many historians credit him with the invention.

The History of Pie

The history of pie is rich in flavor. Pies have been around for thousands of years, we know this, since the ancient Egyptians kept records of their practices and pie is included there, along with all the mysteries and charm of those long ago days. The Egyptians would fill their pies with such ingredients as honey, fruit and nuts. The visitors to Egypt learned as many of their secrets as possible. The ancient Greeks liked the idea of pie and took the recipes home with them, then surrendered the recipes to the Romans, who thought so much of pie as to make offerings of pie to their deities. Since then the rich history of pie has grown while traveling to many different lands, many people enjoy pie.

Did you know that pie was originally a simple cooking and serving container fashioned of dough for containing and cooking the enclosed ingredient as well as their juices? When a pie had a crust, it was at that time known as a coffin, although pies with no crust were at that time known as traps. Large, short-sided pies are tarts and very small pies are tartlets. When someone made a pie of some type of bird, he or she would leave the legs of the bird outside the edge of the pie and used the legs for handles.

Pies at that time had a very hard crust and were very often to hard to be eaten, since the crust of the pie was used mainly for baking the pie as there were no pie pans back then. Think primitive pottery here, at times it was also known as bulletproof dough. Because of this quality, between the 13th and 16th centuries, many pies held live birds, frogs and other small creatures, even dwarfs and sometimes a small orchestra. These were contained inside the pie to emerge to enliven royal feasts with entertainment.

Pies made their way to England and soon showed up in America with the first colonial settlers, them bringing along cottage and shepherds pie. From the American natives, the pilgrims learned the many healthy fruits and berries. Women at that time conserved their rations by making round pies and shallow pies. During the 1700s, pie first saw one of its best celebrating moments while gaining popularity in many homes, picnics and fairs. Many people have enjoyed pie eating contests or pie throwing games. Pies and their recipes have traveled a very long way from where they began to this present day.

As pie has moved along through the years, it has been adapted to fit into every culture it has touched. We enjoy pie today made of many different ingredients, such as meats of beasts, fowl and fish, vegetables, berries, fruits and nuts as well as cheese, custards and creams of many flavors. Many generations have seen the passing down of family pie recipes and many are still secret today. An assortment of many different sweet and savory seasonings and ingredients are included in pies. The smell of a pie baking can bring back fond memories of family and friends as well as build new ones. In homes the world over, someone will be baking a pie, while someone is savoring the wonderful aromas that make home so sweet. Everyone should enjoy some pie every day.