Sunday, April 30, 2023
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Thursday, April 27, 2023
Ice Cream History : Early Frozen Desserts, South Asia
In the sixteenth century, the Mughal Empire used relays of horsemen to bring ice from the Hindu Kush to its capital Delhi. The ice was used in fruit sorbets. It was also used to create kulfi, a popular frozen dairy dessert from the Indian subcontinent often described as "traditional Indian ice cream."
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Monday, April 24, 2023
Ice Cream History : Early Frozen Desserts
The origins of frozen desserts are obscure, although several accounts exist about their history. Some sources describe ice cream-like foods as originating in Persia as far back as 550 BC. Using Ice houses and ice pools, Persians were able to serve and produce faloodeh and sorbets all year round. And in fact, there is still a form of it in Iran called "traditional ice cream" a combination of salep , saffron and a distinct form of cream.
Yakchal, a cone-shaped structure in the Iran is believed to be the inspiration for the design of ice cream . The underground space of the building was used for storing ice cream around 400 BC as the heat-resistant material of the structure helped preserve it.
A Roman cookbook dating back to the 1st-century includes recipes for sweet desserts that are sprinkled with snow.
There are Persian records from the 2nd-century for sweetened drinks chilled with ice.
There are Tang dynasty records of a chilled dessert made with flour, camphor and water buffalo milk.
Kakigori was a Japanese dessert using ice and flavored syrup. The origins of kakigōri date back the Heian period in Japanese history, when blocks of ice saved during the colder months would be shaved and served with sweet syrup to Japanese aristocracy during the summer. Kakigōri's origin is referred to in The Pillow Book, a book of observations written by Sei Shōnagon, who served the Imperial Court during the Heian period.
The earliest known written process to artificially make ice is known not from culinary texts, but the 13th-century writings of Arab historian Ibn Abi Usaybi'a in his book Kitab Uyun al-anba fi tabaqat-al-atibba (Book of Sources of Information on the Classes of Physicians) concerning medicine in which Ibn Abu Usaybi’a attributes the process to an even older author, Ibn Bakhtawayhi, of whom nothing is known.
Ice cream production became easier with the discovery of the endothermic effect. Prior to this, cream could be chilled easily but not frozen. It was the addition of salt, that lowered the melting point of ice, which had the effect of drawing heat from the cream and allowing it to freeze.
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Friday, April 21, 2023
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Tuesday, April 18, 2023
What Makes it Ice Cream?
Ice cream is a frozen dessert, typically made from milk or cream and flavoured with a sweetener, either sugar or an alternative, and a spice, such as cocoa or vanilla, or with fruit such as strawberries or peaches. It can also be made by whisking a flavored cream base and liquid nitrogen together. Food coloring is sometimes added, in addition to stabilizers. The mixture is cooled below the freezing point of water and stirred to incorporate air spaces and to prevent detectable ice crystals from forming. The result is a smooth, semi-solid foam that is solid at very low temperatures (below 2 °C or 35 °F). It becomes more malleable as its temperature increases.
The meaning of the name "ice cream" varies from one country to another. In some countries, such as the United States, "ice cream" applies only to a specific variety, and most governments regulate the commercial use of the various terms according to the relative quantities of the main ingredients, notably the amount of cream. Products that do not meet the criteria to be called ice cream are sometimes labelled "frozen dairy dessert" instead. In other countries, such as Italy and Argentina, one word is used for all variants. Analogues made from dairy alternatives, such as goat's or sheep's milk, or milk substitutes (e.g., soy, cashew, coconut, almond milk or tofu), are available for those who are lactose intolerant, allergic to dairy protein or vegan.
Ice cream may be served in dishes, for eating with a spoon, or licked from edible wafer cones. Ice cream may be served with other desserts—such as apple pie, or as an ingredient in ice cream floats, sundaes, milkshakes, ice cream cakes and baked items, such as Baked Alaska.
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