Ice Cream

Guide Note

Ice Cream has been one of the most popular desserts in Europe and the United States since the late 18th century. Modern ice cream is produced by continuously churning the daily mixture while in a cold environment.

Fast Facts

1. About 60% water, 15% sugar, 10% milk fat
2. Other varieties: Gelato, Sorbet, Frozen Yogurt, Sherbet
3. Most Popular Flavor: Vanilla
4. July: National Ice Cream Month

There are hundreds of readily available ice cream flavors, thousands more created my smaller shops and nearly endless possibilities of flavor combinations. More than half of all ice cream consumed is vanilla, based substantially on its inclusion in ice cream products such as milkshakes and ice cream sandwiches.

Chocolate is the second most popular flavor, followed by Butter Pecan, Chocolate Chip and Strawberry. Ben and Jerry's has famously creative flavor names, including "Cherry Garcia" and "Phish Food."

Italian ice cream, called gelato, contains less than 10% milkfat, disqualifying it from being "ice cream" by the American definition. Many French brands of ice cream contain butter instead of cream, making the end product richer and thicker. The world's largest consumers of ice cream are the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Finland.