Fun facts about ice cream
Ice cream might be one of the most loved desserts in the world — but how much do you really know about it? From ancient emperors to astronauts, here are some sweet and surprising facts about the coldest treat on Earth.
The waffle cone was invented by accident.
At the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, an ice cream vendor ran out of cups. A nearby waffle seller rolled a waffle — and the cone was born.
The most expensive ice cream costs over $6,000.
It’s called Byakuya and is made in Japan — with rare white truffle and edible gold.
Italy has more than 30,000 gelaterias.
And many of them are still family-run.
Ice cream used to be a luxury reserved for the elite.
In ancient times, only kings and emperors could afford snow-chilled desserts.
Spaghettieis is a German invention
It may look like a plate of pasta, but it’s really vanilla ice cream pressed through a spaghetti maker, topped with strawberry sauce and white chocolate “cheese.” Created in Mannheim in the 1960s!
The first ice cream machine was patented in 1843
By a woman! Nancy Johnson from the U.S. invented the hand-cranked ice cream freezer, making homemade ice cream possible for the first time.
The World’s Favorite Flavors
Everyone has a favorite — but some flavors win hearts (and taste buds) across the globe:
🇺🇸 United States: Vanilla leads, followed by chocolate, cookies & cream, and mint chocolate chip.
🇮🇹 Italy: Hazelnut (nocciola), pistachio, and stracciatella are top picks.
🇯🇵 Japan: Matcha (green tea), black sesame, and red bean are among the most loved.
🇩🇪 Germany: Vanilla and chocolate dominate, but spaghettieis with strawberry sauce is a cult favorite.
🇫🇷 France: Vanilla and chocolate share the top spot, followed by lemon and pistachio.
🌍 Globally: Pistachio, mango, coconut, and cookies & cream have major worldwide appeal.
👉 Fun fact: Pistachio is considered one of the most "international" flavors — popular in Europe, the Middle East, and North America.
Who eats the most ?
Types of Ice Cream
Granita: Ice-cold, grainy frozen dessert, usually fruit-based.
Gelato: Italian-style ice cream with less fat, less air, and a more intense flavor.
Sorbet: A water-based ice made from a basic sugar syrup with added flavors. Contains no dairy. Originally often citrus-flavored and served between courses to refresh the palate.
Sherbet: A sorbet with a small amount of milk or cream added.
Spoom: A sorbet mixed with whipped egg whites – resulting in a light, airy foam-like texture.
Soft Ice / Soft Serve: Creamy, smooth ice cream served straight from a machine.
Shave Ice (Hawaii): Very finely shaved ice topped with syrup – more like a water ice than classic dairy ice cream.
Frozen Yogurt: Ice cream made with a yogurt base – tangier in taste and often lower in fat.
Custard: Similar to soft serve, but made with added egg yolks – extra creamy and rich.
Kulfi (India): Dense, slow-frozen milk-based ice cream with flavors like cardamom, pistachio, or mango.
Rolled Ice Cream (Thailand): Ice cream prepared on a frozen plate and rolled into scrolls.
Mochi Ice Cream (Japan): A scoop of ice cream wrapped in chewy, sweet mochi rice dough.
Dondurma (Turkey): Chewy, stretchy ice cream made from milk and salep (wild orchid root flour).
