During the Roman Empire, Nero Claudius
Caesar (A.D. 54-86) frequently sent runners into the mountains
for snow, which was then flavoured with fruits and juices.
Over a thousand years later, Marco Polo returned to Italy from
the Far East with a recipe that closely resembled what is now called
sherbet. Historians estimate that this recipe evolved into ice
cream
sometime
in the 16th century. England seems to have discovered ice cream
at the same time, or perhaps even earlier than the Italians. "Cream
Ice," as it was called, appeared regularly at the table of
Charles I during the 17th century. France was introduced to similar
frozen
desserts in 1553 by the Italian, Catherine de Medici, when she
became the wife of Henry II of France. It wasn't until 1660 that
ice cream
was made available to the general public. The Sicilian, Procopio,
introduced a recipe blending milk, cream, butter and eggs at Café Procope,
the first café in Paris. (Courtesy of www.idfa.org)
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