Susan J. Gilman Biography, Books, and Similar Authors

Interview

Susan Gilman introduces her book The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street and provides fun facts on the history of ice cream

Ever since 1984 when President Ronald Reagan designated July National Ice Cream Month, the delicious treat has had a secure place in the American cultural calendar. But few people know how closely tied the history of ice cream is to the major events of the 20th Century. Here are some fascinating facts about ice cream from Susan Jane Gilman, author of
The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street

• No less than five different people claimed to have invented the ice cream cone at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. Four of these claimants were Middle Eastern immigrants. One of them, Abe Doumar, called his invention "Syrian ice cream sandwiches." Using a waffle iron, he developed a cone machine after the fair, which he later donated to the Smithsonian Institution.
  


• When the U.S. entered World War One, the U.S. government banned the manufacturing of sherbet and ices because of sugar shortages. However, the U.S. Food Administration classified ice cream as an "essential" health food so that it could still be produced during the war. This was the first time corn syrup, dried egg yolks, gums, and "alternative ingredients" were used on a massive scale in ice cream production.
  


• The ...