We all scream … Wait. Why are we screaming? And where did this tempting treat come from anyway?

According to historians

Turns out, no one really knows exactly when ice cream was originally invented or who came up with the idea. Scholars note Alexander the Great’s fondness for ice flavored with honey or wine, and the Roman emperor Nero had ice harvested from nearby mountains for his cool concoctions. But Tang Dynasty emperors in China are thought to be the first to add milk to the mix sometime between 618 and 907 A.D.

The first written recipe for sorbetto, or sorbet, is credited to Antonio Latini in Naples, Italy. He also created a milk-based sorbetto recipe, which is believed to be the first modern ice cream. From Italy, the treat moved to France and then to England and America, where it arrived with settlers in the early 1700s.

The American ice cream industry was pioneered in 1851 by Jacob Fussell, a Baltimore milk dealer, and ice cream’s popularity really took off as technology made it more widely available. In 2015, U.S. manufacturers produced more than 898 million gallons.

But when did we start screaming for it?

The origin of the phrase “I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!” is also shrouded in a little mystery. One camp says it was invented as an advertising slogan for the I-scream Bar — the original name for the Eskimo Pie. But in 1927, Billy Moll, Robert King and Howard Johnson wrote a song with the phrase as its title. The song was so popular it became a Dixieland Jazz standard. Either way, the catchy rhyme has stuck around. So, please don’t be alarmed if you hear screaming during our National Ice Cream Day event on July 21.

What’s in a name?

Throughout its history, different production techniques and core ingredients evolved across the globe, which is why we now have so many words for frozen, flavored treats.

• Ice cream — At least 10% milkfat is required for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to allow a frozen treat to be labeled as ice cream. It also has to be churned and sweet.
• Gelato — It’s not just Italian for ice cream. It actually contains less milkfat, less air is churned in during processing, and it’s served at a slightly warmer temperature. All of this combines for a softer, creamier texture than your typical ice cream.
• Custard — It’s ice cream, but with egg yolks added.
• Sorbet — Fruit and sugar get churned in an ice cream maker to create a smooth, refreshing treat.
• Sherbet — If ice cream and sorbet got married, they’d have a sherbet baby. It’s always fruit based, but a little milk is added for creaminess.

Ready to make your own?

Our Aprons chefs have created some easy-to-make recipes you can try at home. And you don’t even need an ice cream maker! The Simple Apple Pie Ice Cream combines two summer picnic staples into one satisfying dessert.

National Ice Cream Day

July 21, 4 – 7 p.m.

Celebrate with free samples of Publix Premium Ice Cream.