National Ice Cream Day
“I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!” ~Unknown
During the presidency of the late Ronald Reagan, he used his office of power to declare July as National Ice Cream Month and the third Sunday of July as National Ice Cream Day. As we prepare to enjoy the third Sunday of the month this weekend, I want to share a portion of the proclamation that created this special and sweet day. It reads as such;
“The Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution 298, has designated July 1984 as "National Ice Cream Month," and July 15, 1984, as "National Ice Cream Day," and authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of these events.
Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim July 1984 as National Ice Cream Month and July 15, 1984, as National Ice Cream Day, and I call upon the people of the United States to observe these events with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
In Witness Whereof I have hereunto set my hand this ninth day of July, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and ninth,” ~President Ronald Reagan, July 9th, 1984
The belief that the consumption of ice cream was good for the nation was prompted by the growth of the industry and the belief that ice cream lifts the spirits of all humanity. In short, I’ve never seen an angry person eating an ice cream cone, I think it is physically impossible…but that’s my opinion, not scientific evidence. The history of ice cream is a bit muddled as the first frozen treats have been documented as fruit juice being poured over snow more than 2500 years ago in ancient Persia. Mixing sweet ingredients with shaved ice or snow has been documented all over the ancient world but the beginnings of what we think of as ice cream (using milk and sugar) began between about 1200 years ago in the Middle East and was very popular in Damascus, Baghdad and Cairo. In Europe, ice cream became popular in Italy after the famed explorer Marco Polo returned from the far east with tails and recipes of ice cream. In 1533, with the marriage of Catherine de'Medici and Henry II of France, ice cream finally made to continental Europe and the public awareness was starting to take off. For years it was a dessert of royalty but it finally made it to the common people and when it did it started to spread with them as they traveled around the globe.
It is believed that the first ice cream recipe came to North America with the influx of Scottish settlers to colonial America around 1744. Dolly Madison, wife to President James Madison, served ice cream at the at presidential Inaugural Ball of 1813…Nancy Johnson of New Jersey invented first hand cranked and portable freezer…and commercial production of ice cream started in 1851. Needless to say, since ice cream became available to all of humanity, there has been a love affair that has only grown and flourished. To cap this point, according to the International Dairy Food Association, Americans consumed on average a whopping 23 pounds of ice cream per person in 2015 as manufacturers produce nearly 1.5 billion gallons of the tasty frozen treat that same year. As a matter of fact, one of my first jobs in high school was scooping out a 3-ounce scoop of deliciousness for our local Baskin & Robins 30 years ago. The joy on a child’s face as they discover a flavor for the first time or the look of contentment of someone who remembers their own happy place while clutching their own scoop of heaven, it was a delightful place of employment as a kid.
As you head out this weekend, be it hot or cool, sunny or stormy, I encourage you to take a moment to savor a little self-indulgence and have a little bit of ice cream. I hope everyone has an excellent weekend and enjoy with moderation! Take care of yourself and each other, remember, we’re all in this together.
Wm Reid
Best Home Care Services
325 N Eastern Ave
Connersville, IN 47331
765-827-9833
wmreid@bhcshealth.com