Shop products for Ice Cream 
The favourite ice-cream flavours in the United States are still the great old standbys—vanilla and chocolate.
Some think Marco Polo, the 13th-century traveler, brought the first recipe for ice cream to the West from Asia. Others believe ice cream was devised by the Roman emperor Nero, who had runners bring in mountain snow to be mixed with fresh fruit and honey. In the rural America of a hundred years ago, ice cream was a rare treat, made with real cream in small batches in a churn with ice and salt.
Ice cream has been a favourite of kings and presidents (including Charles I of England and George Washington). The first ice-cream parlor in the United States opened in New York in 1776, and the first commercial plant opened in Baltimore in 1851. In 1904, the waffle ice-cream cone was introduced at the St. Louis World’s Fair when a waffle concessionaire began rolling his waffles into cone shapes for the ice-cream vendor in the adjoining booth.
Varieties
Although an ever-changing menu of ice-cream flavours and products tempts us these days, the top five flavours in the United States in 1999 were still the great old familiar ones vanilla, chocolate, Neapolitan (the famous vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry combination), cookies and cream, and butter pecan.
Ice cream is now produced around the world in dozens of flavours, and in low-sugar, low-fat, and fat-free varieties.
Availability
Ice cream is available in food stores of all kinds everywhere. Handy electric appliances now make it easy to make ice cream at home, too.
Preparation, uses, and tips
Ice cream is enjoyed just as it is. It can also be used to make milk shakes, sodas, sundaes, floats, and other classic soda-fountain combinations. Scoops of ice cream still make an attractive dessert. It can be paired with fresh fruit or nuts, or with French or Italian desserts for a sophisticated presentation. If you have a hard time resisting ice cream, it’s probably best to purchase this rich dessert in small portions.
