Ice cream
Fun Fact
“Would you like that in a cup or a cone?” A common question when indulging in a scoop of ice cream today but, back in the 18th century, that wasn’t even a question!
So what’s the scoop on this accidental invention? It was actually invented at two different times in two different places! Italo Marchiony created edible cups in which to serve his ice cream and later went on to patent the edible cup making machine.
The second instance brings us to the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904
where Ernest Hamwi was making Zalabia, a dessert from his home country of Syria. In the booth next to him, was a booth selling ice cream. The ice cream was an absolute hit to the point where the vendor had run out of bowls to sell them in! Hamwi, thinking on his feet, rolled the Zalabia into a cornucopia type shape - a cone - and suggested that the ice cream be served atop it. It turned out to be quite the success!
Ernest Hamwi went on to found the Missouri Cone Company (which became known as the Western Cone Company).
There are many other stories concerning the invention of the ice cream cone and it is difficult to pinpoint the actual inventor. In the case that the ice cream cone was not invented at the St Louis World’s Fair in 1904, Hamwi was still integral to the popularization of the cone!
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- Jenna Dhanani