In 1984, President Reagan decreed a day for ice cream (every third Sunday in July). Today, President Biden makes no secret of his extraordinary passion for ice cream!
I scream, you scream! It is National Ice Cream Day!
Americans (and Italians) love ice cream. Ice cream became highly popular in the US right after the American Revolution.
Today, the US population leads the world in eating ice cream: circa 90 percent of Americans appreciate this sweet treat. According to the National Today data science team, 40% of Americans have eaten an entire pint of ice cream! In 1984, President Ronald Reagan decreed a day for ice cream (every third Sunday in July). Today, President Joe Biden makes no secret of his extreme passion for ice cream: his favorite is chocolate chip.
All credit to the Sicilian genius
It is not possible to designate the "inventor" of gelato. According to scholars and researchers, the first ice cream was created in China between 618-97 AD, made with flour and milk. However, the first modern ice cream was created in 1660, thanks to an Italian genius. Credit is due to Sicilian cook Francesco Procopio Dei Coltelli who opened a café in Paris. He used a machine inherited from his grandfather. This tool was used to make Arabic sorbets, the ancestor of gelato. It blended milk, butter, eggs, and cream. At this point, the experienced foodies will point out that "gelato" and "ice cream" are not technically the same, and that is true. Gelato has less fat than ice cream because it contains more milk than cream; ice cream contains at least 10% milk-fat.
A brioscia cu tuppu
To honor the Sicilian origins of modern ice cream, today we tell you about a fabulous and mouthwatering local tradition. Among the hundreds of specialties born on the beautiful Sicilian island, one of the richest is the famous "brioche col tuppo", called "a brioscia cu tuppu" in Sicilian dialect. If you are in Sicily this summer, we highly recommend this experience! These brioches are the flagship of Sicilian pastries. They are soft brioches filled with ice cream. The name comes from their shape, reminiscent of the "tuppo," the chignon that Sicilian women used years ago for their long hair. Usually, the Sicilian brioche is heated, then ice cream is added. It is also used to accompany a granita. It is a tradition for Sicilians to begin eating the brioche from the tuppo, the bun.
