Ice Cream

On my Independence Day blog I wrote about our special ice cream treats1.  Then yesterday I found out in the newspaper that July is National Ice Cream Month2.  In 1984 President Ronald Reagan made the decree3 and even named the third Sunday of July as Ice Cream Day.  Knowing us, I am sure we will properly celebrate the day and help the U.S. ice cream industry make its more than 21 billion dollars in annual sales.4 

 

Here are a few things I learned about ice cream in yesterday’s newspaper article.  Its origins5 supposedly6 go back to the 4th century B.C. when the Roman emperor Nero ordered ice brought from the mountains and mixed with fruit.  Later Marco Polo took the Chinese method of creating ice and milk mixtures to Europe in the 13th century.  It became a fashionable treat in Europe and was served by Early American presidents, who favored7 vanilla flavor8.  The first ice cream shop opened in New York City in 1776.  George Washington9 liked ice cream so much he reportedly had a bill for $200 for ice cream one summer. 

 

Vanilla remains the top ice cream flavor10 in the U.S., followed by chocolate and different fruit flavors.   The first ice cream cone11 was made, served, and eaten in New York City on Sept 22nd, 1886.  According to surveys12, it is the favorite way for people to eat ice cream.  Many people also like ice cream with a topping13, chocolate or chocolate fudge14 being the favorite type.  In addition, many people like nuts on top of the chocolate.

 

On our travels between Idaho and Iowa there is a stop we always make.  It is a big restaurant and gasoline station in western Wyoming, called Little America15.  There the traveler is invited to get a big ice cream cone for fifty cents.  Don always gets vanilla and I get chocolate.  Kathy gets a mixture of vanilla and chocolate, and we each share with our dog Blitzen.  I think we will make that stop two weeks from today when we head home to Iowa.

 

Notes:

1. treats: special dishes or food that tastes good, especially one that people do not eat very often (款待,乐趣).

2. National Ice Cream Month: the month of July has been the focus of special attention to ice cream, probably because July is one of our very hot weather months in the U.S.

3. decree: an official order or decision, especially one made by the ruler of a country (政令,法令).

4. Knowing us, I am sure we will properly celebrate the day and help the U.S. ice cream industry make its more than 21 billion dollars in annual sales: 因为我了解我们自己,我肯定我们会恰如其分地庆祝这一天,并帮助美国的冰激凌行业创造210亿美元的年销售额。

5. origin: beginnings, starting point (起源).

6. supposedly: according to popular belief or thought; alleged to be so (据说,据认为).

7. favored: preferred, liked best (最喜欢).

8. vanilla flavor: 香草味

9. George Washington: the first president of the United States (乔治•华盛顿,美国首任总统).  Often called the Father of our Country.

10. the top ice cream flavor: 最受欢迎的冰激凌味道

11. ice cream cone: 圆筒冰激凌

12. surveys: 调查

13. topping: items such as nuts, fruit, or flavored syrups poured on top of ice cream (浇头).

14. chocolate or chocolate fudge: 巧克力或软巧克力

15. Little America: the name of one of a small group of large rest areas, restaurants and motels located in western United States. All offer special ice cream cones.

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