Ice Cream - A Short and Sweet History

A family enjoying ice cream at Ruthmere’s last Ice Cream Social in 2019

Food has always been a way to bring people together and ice cream is no exception to that tradition. Organizing a gathering of family, friends, neighbors and the community while offering a tasty, cool treat in the middle of summer has been popular for centuries. This year, Ruthmere is hosting an ice cream social, a popular event that has been on a hiatus and is returning as a summertime tradition to the grounds of the house that A.R. and Elizabeth Beardsley built in 1910.

An ice cream social is defined as a social event in which ice cream is served. Simple enough, but unlike this definition, the history of ice cream is complicated. From its origins as part of royal privilege to its current status as a popular food commodity, ice cream’s path has been a rocky road, pun intended.  

“A waiter (in the brown coat) bears a tray of espumas heladas, a Spanish frozen mousse, in this 18th-century Valencian tilework. Museum of Decorative Arts, Madrid.” - from National Geographic

In about 1660, water ices became a popular treat. Eventually, cream was added, and the mixture molded into shape. This was the start of the frozen treat we know as ice cream. 

The first party in recorded history which offered an iced dessert was hosted in the 17th century by England’s King Charles II to mark the Feast of Saint Charles. The royal guests dining at the king’s table at this celebration were served a plate of white strawberries and a plate of ice cream.

Prior to 1718, the recipe for making ice cream was a secret. Once the recipe was released, it was assumed that everyone could, in theory, make their own royal treat. Not so.

According to the History of Ice Cream posted by the International Dairy Foods Association, ice cream was an indulgence of the very rich and only served during a royal feast. Before refrigeration, making ice cream took servants many hours to make. Ingredients were difficult to find and out-of-reach for anyone outside the wealthiest circles. That changed in the late 1700s and early 1800s.

The first known serving of ice cream at a social gathering in America was in 1744. Maryland Governor Thomas Bladen served ice cream at a dinner party. The first newspaper advertisement for ice cream published in the 1770s and the first known ice cream shop in America opened in Manhattan in 1777.

America’s first president George Washington is said to enjoyed ice cream so much that his bill for one summer was $200, according to a PBS article on the history of ice cream. Today’s equivalent of that ice cream bill is over $7,000. That bill was not just for the treat, but for the recipes and the equipment to make it.

George and Martha Washington’s Ice Cream Dishes - from NPR & Mt. Vernon

Washington was not the only founding figure to contribute to America’s love for this frozen treat.  Vanilla came to America through Thomas Jefferson, which made its way into ice cream making, and vanilla remains the most popular flavor even today. Jefferson was the first president to serve ice cream in the White House in 1802. Dolly Madison, the wife of America’s fourth President James Madison, served ice cream to guests attending the second inaugural ball in 1812.

London Ice Cream Sales, 1870s - from the British Library

The 19th century was a productive time for ice cream. Innovations such as a hand-cranked ice cream churn made the task much easier. Invented by Nancy Johnson in 1843, she was unable to patent her invention and sold it for $200. The first commercial plant opened in 1851 in Baltimore. The invention of the ice cream scoop followed in 1897 and the first cone was developed in New York City in 1903. The invention of the first commercial continuous-process freezer in 1926 allowed for ice cream to be mass produced.

At the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, Missouri, a collaboration between a vendor selling ice cream in dishes and another food vendor selling a wafer-like pastry gave America the early version of the waffle cone. The chocolate covered ice cream bar was introduced to consumers in 1920 by an ice cream shop owner in Iowa. The Good Humor ice cream bar was soon being delivered by men dressed in white and driving a white truck through the neighborhoods. The Eskimo Pie found its way to mass market in 1934.

Once ice cream was affordable and accessible to the public, it often became the focus of celebrations, fund raising events and gatherings for schools and churches. One of the first ice cream social was hosted by the South Dakota Ladies’ Sewing Circle in the late 1860s. Ice cream was paired with cake at this event.

Nancy and Ronald Reagan enjoy ice cream cones, circa 1967/68

National Ice Cream month was established by President Ronald Reagan in July, 1984. He ushered in that annual recognition by saying, “"Ice cream is a nutritious and wholesome food. It enjoys a reputation as the perfect dessert and snack," he said.

From the 1.6 billion gallons of frozen desserts per year manufactured in America, only 40 million gallons are exported. Consumers spend about $20 billion on ice cream treats.

The popularity of ice cream and its association with summer is a fond childhood memory for generations. Whether that memory is triggered by hearing the music from the ice cream truck coming down the street, remembering family trips to Howard Johnson’s to sample one of the food chain’s 28 original flavors, or celebrating the milestones in our families with that classic combination or cake and ice cream, ice cream makes people happy.

More images from past Ruthmere Ice Cream Socials

We hope to see you at our Old-Fashioned Ice Cream Social on Sunday, August 7th, 2022!