How Did Ice Cream Come to Be?
Ice Cream has been noted to have been around since the middle ages with Italy taking the lead in the 17th century with a style we are more familiar with. When it spread north to France, they created a version made with egg yolks. As it came to America, I found in my research that Philadelphia was one of the places a new ice cream was created. A style with no eggs or egg whites only, and a pure vanilla sugar created by a James W. Parkinson.
(Side note: I found a recipe on a website by writer and historian Becky Diamond, where she shares more history about Parkinson’s ice cream, his vanilla, and the history of ice cream, if you are interested.)
Early Ice Cream Flavors
These nineteenth century ice cream flavors were quite different than what we eat today. Fruit flavors were the most common. In the 1840s and 1850s the most popular included vanilla, lemon, strawberry and pineapple. Which meant the flavor was vanilla and real fruit was layered on top, not necessarily mixed in.
Who Ate Ice Cream?
Ice Cream was the favorite dessert for many statesmen including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Ice cream also appeared in private parks in New York, Washington, and Columbia and also served as an upper-class dessert at dinner parties.
It wasn’t easy to keep. One needed ice and ice melted. As refrigeration grew, so did the popularity of ice cream.
The first hand-cranked ice cream freezer was invented in 1843 by Nancy Johnson. This made production faster and smoother.
The first ice cream plant went into operation in 1851. Jacob Fussell built the first commercial manufacturing plant, which dropped production costs and made ice cream even more accessible.
Bassets Ice Cream in Pennsylvania opened in 1861, and is one of the oldest continuously running ice cream companies.
All of these milestones created the opportunity for ice cream socials and the ice cream parlor.
Ice Cream Parlor History
It’s been noted that the first parlor came about in the 1600s in France. In the United States, the first was noted to have been opened in New York City in the late 1700s by a confectioner named Phillip Lenzi. He started serving the frozen treat at a counter at his sweets shop.
Ice cream saloons (later called parlors - because the term was a safer alternative for women than saloon) also became known as ladies cafes. Women weren't allowed in saloons and taverns. But this space they could frequent. That appeal is what drove owners to appeal to a more female audience. So they were designed as large spacious rooms with mirrors and bright gaslights.
Inside of Gunters (from an article by https://restaurant-ingthroughhistory.com/2012/08/19/ice-cream-parlors/)
Ice Cream Parlors were deemed safe, respectable, and alcohol free, so women could visit them without an escort. It was one of the first places women met in public. I love this picture below! Where I worked had a vibe like this.
We recently visited a deli, and they had tables with this design on them.
Exactly what the tables at the ice cream parlor I worked at had.
Besides a place for women, ice cream parlors soon became a destination for a courting couple (without family or a chaperone in attendance) because it was deemed safe.
That said, there was still one group of ladies that were not allowed the same freedoms in an ice cream parlor—schoolmarms. Female schoolmarms were not allowed to be courted (it was written in their contract) where their male counterparts could. Being seen alone with a man risked her moral reputation, which would cost her teaching job. This was well known and many busy-bodies watched closely just in case a young lady made the mistake of appearing with someone unrelated to her. She would be judged harshly if she did.
Why did I want to talk about ice cream?
I love ice cream. My first job was in an ice cream parlor that had a victorian design incorporated. I loved working there. It had a great ambiance.
As I've been writing my series with schoolmarm's, I couldn't wait to write a scene in a book with characters in an ice cream parlor. My latest novelette now has that scene in it. You can find out more about this free book on my website.
AN UNEXPECTED MARRIAGE PROPOSAL By Denise M. Colby
Tilly Johnson has only ever wanted one thing—to teach. Wishing to make a difference in her own one-room schoolhouse, she crosses the country to California to follow her dream. Railroad detective Grant Stone has purposely built his life on staying detached for reasons he can’t talk about. But he won’t sit by and watch when the stranded young woman whose name is on everyone’s lips needs assistance. Except the desire to protect her reputation leads to a marriage proposal he never intended to make…and a wife he never planned on wanting.
Denise M. Colby writes historical romance sweetened with faith, hope, and love. She finds history fascinating and contemplates often how it was to live in the 1800's. Her debut novel, When Plans Go Awry, is a 2025 Carol Award finalist. Sign up for her newsletter at www.denisemcolby.com or follow Denise on Facebook, Instagram, Bookbub, Pinterest, or GoodReads.
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