June 7 is National Chocolate Ice Cream Day, so let’s consider the history of this irresistible treat. It was first invented by the Chinese in 3000 B.C. Marco Polo may have introduced it to Italy and, by the 1500s the Italians were enjoying many of the flavors we know today. The French introduced ice cream to the rest of Europe during the 17th Century, but it didn’t reach Great Britain until the 18th Century. It isn’t mentioned at all in American records until the 1820s, but after that it was here to stay. In fact, favorite modern flavors, like vanilla, chocolate and strawberry, require ingredients only found in the New World.
