Chill your senses with frozen treats!

Ice cream is a fun and nutritious food that has shaped out childhoods – be it a small tin of Amul vanilla ice cream or our grandmother’s homemade kulfi. Enjoyed by billions of people all over the world, we have a long lasting relationship with this dairy-based frozen dessert. But how much do we know about it apart from the song, “I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!”?

The Journey

Ice cream is believed to have started its journey to becoming a global favourite in Persia, where even the high and mighty had fallen to its charms: Greek king Alexander used to love his iced wines and Roman Emperor Nero would send men to collect snow, which was then flavoured with honey and nuts. The Arabs were the first to add sugar to ice cream and to commercialize its production. The Chinese added to the slow evolution of the ice cream by adding frozen fruit juices and milk mixed with rice to ice cream, to give it a better taste. Ice cream was one of Marco Polo's discoveries on his journey throughChina.He took recipe for the delicious treat back with him to Italy.

From there, the recipe reached France, Germany and the US. Ice cream debuted in India in the 16th century when Mughal emperors asked their horsemen to get snow from the Hindukush mountains to Delhi. Mughal chefs also invented “kulfi”.

And from there, the ice cream kept involving into the commercialised tins we know and love.

So, what is ice cream anyway?

Ice cream is not only a feast for our tummies, but also a feast for our eyes – the wide range of colorful ice creams are carefully placed in ice cream stores, and form half of their campaign strategy! Ice cream is a frozen dessert usually made from dairy products, such as milk and cream and often combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavours. Most varieties contain sugar, although some are made with other sweeteners. In some cases, artificial flavourings and colourings are used in addition to, or instead of, the natural ingredients. The mixture of chosen ingredients is stirred slowly while cooling, in order to incorporate air and to prevent large ice crystals from forming. The result is a semi-solid, smooth foam which is malleable and can be easily scooped into a bowl or wafer cone.

The meaning of the phrase “ice cream” varies from one country to another. Phrases such as "frozen custard", "frozen yogurt", "sorbet", "gelato" and others are used to distinguish different varieties and styles. Analogues made from dairy alternatives, such as goat's or sheep's milk, or milk substitutes, are also available for those who are lactose intolerant, allergic to dairy protein, or vegan.

Here is a little about the most popular forms of ice cream!:

Frozen custard – A touch of egg yolk is what distinguishes frozen custard from commercial ice cream. Legally, custard only has to contain 1.4 percent egg yolk by weight, but some brands have more. The lecithin in the yolk is a natural emulsifier, imparting a richer, creamier texture.

Gelato – Gelato hails from Italy, and its name is simply the Italian word for "frozen." Gelato traditionally is made using mostly or entirely milk. Having little or no cream reduces fat while intensifying flavours. Gelato's melt-in-the-mouth creaminess comes from sheer density: it's churned with relatively little added air.

Frozen yogurt – Frozen yogurt blends yogurt (milk fermented with yogurt cultures) with an ice cream base of milk, cream and sweetener. The resulting dessert is both sweet and tangy, cold and creamy.

Sorbet – Sorbet is a frozen dessert containing no milk but having a mushy consistency; usually made from fruit juice

Non-dairy frozen desserts – Whether you’re vegan, lactose intolerant or watching your cholesterol, you can still enjoy a creamy treat. Frozen desserts based on soy or rice are plan-friendly — relatively low in calories and fat. And while they may not taste exactly like the real thing, they’re a whole lot better than nothing.

Not only are there endless types of ways to make ice cream, but there is also an endless number of flavours, so it’s not likely that you can’t find your favourite, however picky you may be! Cookies n cream, chocolate, vanilla, mint chocolate chip, pistachio, rocky road, strawberry, butterscotch are among the most popular.

Scream in July, cream in July

This mouth watering treat, ice cream, has made a place for itself in the calendar. The third Sunday of July is declared as the “sweetest day of the year”. In 1984, the then U S President Ronald Reagan declared July as National Ice Cream Month and the third Sunday of the month as National Ice Cream Day in US.

Nutritional value

Ice cream of any brand contains fat, but that doesn’t mean you have to run away from it! This fat provides flavour, body and texture.

The type and content of fat in ice cream is used to classify individual products according to certain regulations. “Dairy ice cream”, must contain a minimum of 5% milk fat and should contain no other fat than milk fat. “Ice cream” must contain a minimum of 5% fat; however it can contain vegetable fat. The types of vegetable fat most widely used are coconut oil, palm oil and palm kernel oil or a combination. Nutritionists say there is nothing terribly wrong about vegetable fat. After all, edible oil is regularly used in Indian cooking and snacks. But it could be more harmful than milk fat. According to them, although vegetable fat contained in frozen desserts is generally unsaturated and hence, healthier.

The catch is that the plant fat used will be generally hydrogenated or trans fat. Trans fats can raise cholesterol levels as much as or more than saturated fat, and increases the risk of developing heart disease and stroke. It's also associated with a higher risk of developing diabetes. While most manufacturers in India use palm oil, which is the cheapest, to make frozen desserts, some may use soybean oil or coconut oil.

Ice cream is rich source of vital nutrients

• Protein – Helps growth & muscle building
  
• Carbohydrate – Provides the energy required for most functions in the body
  
• Fat – Helps in storage of energy, production of hormones & brain development
  
• Calcium – Helps in growth and maintenance of teeth and bones and is a vital function in blood clotting and muscle contraction

Brands

Some brands, like Baskin-Robbins offers 1000 different flavours. When the brand started off in 1945, it offered 31 flavours – one for every day of the month. Some of the other major international brands in the “ice cream industry” are Haagen Dazs, Ben & Jerry’s, Blue Bell, Breyers, Nestle, EDy’s. Cold Stone Creamery, Friendly, Naturals, etc.

However, not all of these brands have enetered the Indian market, but that doesn’t mean there is any shortage of good ice cream in the country – it houses a long list of national and local brands you may be more familiar with: Vadilal, Amul, Dinshaws, Kwality Walls, Mother Dairy, Cream Bells, Nirula’s Ice Cream, Arun Ice Cream.