In the heat of the summer grabbing a cold, sweet treat is a popular option.
This manual or hand-crank ice cream maker serves as a marker for our love of frozen desserts.
The history of ice cream is thought to go back to the second century B.C., but its exact origins remain unclear with no specific time periods or inventor accredited to its creation.
Various versions of frozen desserts, such as flavoured snow or sorbet, may be found in several accounts throughout the world. By the 17th century, however, “cream ice” appeared regularly at the table of Charles I.
In 1843, Nancy Johnson patented the first hand-cranked ice cream maker like the one pictured here.
The machine has a movable crank with a centre paddle intended to churn the ice cream maker’s contents.
Ice and rock salt are important components of slowly freezing an edible ice cream mixture.
When refrigeration became common and the prices of formerly expensive ingredients like sugar and cream dropped, mass commercial production of ice cream enabled the popularization of ice cream parlours.
It is safe to say that ice cream is now one of our favourite frozen treats.
—Wetaskiwin District Heritage Museum Centre