Today’s spotlight is on vanilla ice cream.

According to the International Dairy Foods Association, chocolate was the first ice cream flavor invented, and vanilla is the most popular ice cream flavor in the world. The first documented ice cream recipe was by Englishwoman Lady Anne Fanshawe in 1665, which suggested flavoring the “icy cream” with orange blossom water, mace, or ambergris, which was enjoyed by the Greek conqueror Alexander the Great.

The earliest frozen chocolate recipes were published in Naples, Italy in 1693 in Antonio Latini’s The Modern Steward. Chocolate was one of the first ice cream flavors, created before vanilla.

Vanilla doesn’t appear in published ice cream recipes until the 1760s, and then it would have been used very rarely. Vanilla ice cream was introduced in the late 1700s, becoming the most popular flavor in America.

But even before that, in 1602, Queen Elizabeth I’s pastry chef, Hugh Morgan, suggested using vanilla separately from cocoa. Thus, making vanilla something only royalty enjoyed. The French started using vanilla in drinks and foods without cacao and began using it to flavor ice cream. Thomas Jefferson discovered vanilla ice cream in France and brought the recipe to the United States. Thomas Jefferson wrote his own recipe for vanilla ice cream in the 1780s. The recipe is housed at the Library of Congress.  As a result of Jefferson, in the late 1700s, vanilla ice cream became the most popular flavor in America.

A brief History of Vanilla

The Totonacs of Mexico’s east coast are thought to be the first people to cultivate vanilla. The Totonacs grew vanilla planifolia for medicinal or religious purposes, and it wasn’t often used as a flavoring. In 1427, the Aztecs conquered the Totonacs and discovered the flavoring and medicinal value of the black vanilla pod. The Aztecs were the first to use vanilla and cocoa together to flavor their foods and drinks.

The Spanish got vanilla when they conquered the Aztecs. Hernan Cortez was the European “discoverer” of vanilla, and he brought a large supply of vanilla to the Spanish royal court. The Mexican emperor, Montezuma, introduced vanilla to Cortez, who brought it to Europe in the 16th century.

The word vanilla comes from the Spanish word “vaina” which translates to little pod. The vanilla “fruit” was originally grown in Mesoamerica, part of which is where Mexico is located today. The Aztecs cultivated vanilla and called it the “black flower” because the vanilla orchid turns black after maturing and being harvested. Hernán Cortés introduced the spice to Europe in the 1520’s.

For centuries, vanilla was a rare, New World flavor enjoyed mainly by European elites. Today, vanilla is so well-known that its very name means “common”.

 

About Vanilla Ice Cream

Vanilla ice cream is a sweet frozen dessert made from milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla flavoring. The vanilla flavoring can come from vanilla seeds, pure vanilla extract, vanilla seed paste, or a combination. The vanilla used in extracts and flavorings comes from the beans of the flowering orchid Vanilla planifolia. Nearly 80 percent of the world’s vanilla supply is grown in Madagascar.

The type of vanilla used to flavor ice cream varies by location. Because of the high costs involved with purchasing real vanilla beans, the vast majority of vanilla ice cream is made using “natural Vanilla flavoring” or synthetic vanilla aromas.

Good vanilla ice cream doesn’t use vanilla essences, but instead uses the vanilla seeds scraped out of the pod. Vanilla ice cream is white because it’s made of a cream/milk base.

 

Vanilla is the most popular ice cream flavor in the world. It’s a complex flavor that can range from sweet to floral. According to Datassential, 81% of consumers love or like vanilla and 94% have tried it.

According to the Food Channel, the top 10 most popular ice cream flavors are:

• Vanilla, 30%
• Chocolate, 10%
• Butter Pecan, 4%
• Strawberry, 3.7%
• Chocolate Chip Mint, 3.2%

 

Here Are Some Facts About Vanilla Ice Cream:

• Vanilla ice cream is traditionally made from fresh milk, cream, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla.
• It takes three gallons of whole milk to make one gallon of ice cream.
• Vanilla is the number one most popular ice cream flavor in many countries, including the United States, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, China, and Brazil
• Vanilla ice cream has 21.2 grams of sugar per 100 grams of ice cream, about 12 grams of which is natural sugar.
• Vanilla ice cream was originally created by cooling a mixture of cream, sugar, and vanilla above a container of ice and salt.
• Vanilla is a universal flavor that’s used in many things, including cookies, cakes, desserts, sauces, drinks, and savory meals.
• The average number of licks to finish a scoop of ice cream is 50.

 

It’s estimated that the world’s annual consumption of ice cream is around 15.4 billion liters. The United States leads the world in ice cream consumption, with an average of 26 liters of ice cream per person consumed per year. New Zealand comes in second, at 23 liters per ice cream per person. Australia rounds out the top 3 at 18 liters per person.

According to a survey by the International Ice Cream Association (IICA), vanilla is the most popular ice cream flavor among Americans. When asked to choose directly between chocolate and vanilla ice cream, 49% of Americans choose vanilla over chocolate.

 

Here are some statistics about vanilla ice cream consumption:

• 81% of consumers love or like vanilla, and 94% have tried it.
• 13% of Americans eat vanilla ice cream.
• Vanilla is the most popular ice cream flavor among Americans, according to a survey by the International Ice Cream Association
• Vanilla is #1 in almost every country.
• More than half of Americans say they do not eat ice cream or limit their consumption due to health concerns.

 

In 1984, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed July as National Ice Cream Month and established National Ice Cream Day as the third Sunday in July. Reagan wanted to commemorate a treat enjoyed by over 90 percent of the US population. His proclamation also glorified the dairy industry in America. National Vanilla Ice Cream Day started in 2017 as a promotion for the frozen dessert. It’s observed annually in July.

We encourage you to celebrate National Vanilla Ice Cream Day. Eat as much vanilla ice cream as you want without guilt, top it with flavored syrup, whipped cream, fruits, or sprinkles! Let us know in the comments what your favorite ice cream is.