The First Known Ice Cream Flavor Wasn't Vanilla Or Chocolate

When you think of popular ice cream flavors, I'm sure vanilla and chocolate swiftly come to mind (if you're curious, chocolate ice cream was invented first). Despite this, there is an ice cream that's much more historic than these fabled flavors — and it's definitely not what you think. Many ancient cultures experimented with different methods of ice harvesting — and later ice consumption — but it is believed that the Tang Dynasty of China was the first to combine ice (or snow), dairy, and flavoring between 618-907 CE. The flavoring in question? Camphor. Today, you probably won't see camphor ice cream in the freezer section at your local grocery store, but we have this unique treat to thank for catalyzing the global ice cream revolution.

Like other facets of food history, it is hard to precisely pinpoint the origins of ice cream and what part of the world it initially came from. Many ancient cultures ate sweetened snow or ice that was similar to modern-day shaved ice. However, by defining ice cream as frozen dairy, we were able to determine who inspired what in the ancient ice cream industry.

Many known figures have been credited for the spread of ice cream across the globe. We hear legends of Marco Polo bringing ice cream to Europe or Thomas Jefferson introducing America to the velvety treat, but facts of the matter remain quietly ignored. History suggests the ancient Chinese began consuming mixtures of milk and rice frozen in the snow around 200 BCE, making them the dessert's true pioneers.

Accounts of flavoring this icy mixture came centuries later in the Tang Dynasty. A frozen combination of flour, water buffalo milk, and camphor oil, was the first semblance of what we all know and picture modern (flavored) ice cream to be. Camphor oil, extracted from camphor trees (a subspecies of evergreens), is famous for its herbaceous odor and taste. Now typically used in medicinal applications — and not in ice creams — camphor added pungency to the frozen treat.

Today's take on ice cream has few similarities to its ancient ancestors. The next time I go get a scoop, I may stop to appreciate how evolved ice cream has become ... and also that camphor ice cream isn't my only choice in flavor.