Why Ice Cream?
Although the specifics of who and when ice cream was invented are somewhat shrouded in mystery, one thing is perfectly clear:
People LOVE ice cream!
Happy or sad; an achieved milestone; memories old and new; as a ritual; to celebrate; or just because…the reasons as to why we enjoy ice cream is limited only by imagination.
Recorded history of ice cream dates back to the 2nd century BC and tells of snow and ice flavoured by honey, fruit and wine being consumed during harvest by the likes of Alexander the Great and King Solomon.
Fast forward a thousand years and there are romantic stories of Marco Polo discovering a recipe for sherbet while travelling to the Far East and bringing it back to Italy… maybe far fetched, but maybe not?
16th century Europe saw ice cream as a delicacy prominent amongst aristocracy and it wasn’t until the 1600s when ice cream became available to the masses.
The 1700s saw the first accounts of ice cream in North America and until the 1800s, ice cream was a treat enjoyed mainly by the upper classes.
Advances in steam technology, refrigeration, electricity and motorized vehicles assisted in growing the availability and expanding the reach of ice cream, leading to a proliferation of soda fountain shops across North America.
Carbonated ice cream sodas dominated the landscape and ultimately lead to the creation of ice cream “sundaes” free of carbonated beverages, following religious pressure about consumption of the “sinfully” rich sodas on Sunday.
Scooping parlours and soda fountains started to slowly disappear with the increased availability of ice cream through grocery stores, but the strong pull of nostalgia continues to drive current demand as people long to experience the sights, sounds and smells of the soda fountains of old, creating new legions of fans and memories in the process.
Founded in 1896, Central Smith has been dedicated exclusively to the production of premium ice cream since 1952 through time-honoured traditions and using the highest quality ingredients.
Our family-owned and operated business has been serving up ice-creamy smiles since 1979, when the first customers were welcomed to buy directly from a small window at the factory.
At Central Smith, We Dream in Ice Cream - stop by our parlour and let us help you remember simpler times, while creating some new memories in the process!