National Vanilla Ice Cream Day is observed annually on July 23rd. As part of National Ice Cream Month and not too far behind National Ice Cream Day, National Vanilla Ice Cream Day honors one of the most popular of the ice cream flavors.
In North America, the most common use of vanilla flavoring is for ice cream and many people consider vanilla to be the ‘default’ flavor.
Like with cherry trees and Washington, it seems some stretching of the truth is applied to our country’s third President concerning vanilla ice cream. His love of vanilla ice cream, most likely discovered during his time in France, lead to a belief that he brought the recipe to the United States. However, evidence exists supporting colonists made ice cream before Jefferson’s recipe surfaced.
By the time he was elected President, Jefferson’s fondness for the frozen dessert became evident. According to Montecello.org, the dish was reported by visitors served several times during his presidency. Jefferson produced a handwritten copy of a vanilla ice cream recipe in the 1780s, which is now housed at the Library of Congress. The Thomas Jefferson ice cream is also available at Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota.
- Vanilla is the only edible fruit of the orchid family, the largest family of flowering plants in the world.
- It’s a tropical orchid, and there are more than 150 varieties of vanilla, though only two types – Bourbon and Tahitian — are used commercially.
- Vanilla grows within the 20-degree band either side of the Equator and is native to the Americas.
- The Olmeca people on the Gulf Coast of Mexico were perhaps the first to use vanilla as a flavoring in beverages.
- The Totonaca people of the Gulf coast of Mexico were probably the first people to domesticate vanilla.
- Industrial production of ice cream begun in 1851 in Boston.
- Most profitable day for ice cream sellers is almost always Sunday.
- Most favorite ice cream topping is chocolate syrup.
- One cone of ice cream can be finished off in 50 licks.
- Ice cream “Brain Freeze” effect is triggered when cold ice touches the roof of your mouth, which causes blood vessels in the head to dilate.
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