You might think ice cream is a modern kind of food, but actually, ice cream was probably first eaten in China more than 2, 000 years ago. It was made from rice and milk. In Europe around 2, 000 years ago, Roman leaders also enjoyed a kind of frozen(冷冻的) dessert. Snow and fruit were used to make it. It wasn't true ice cream, though, as it had no milk or cream in it.

Marco Polo, who came from Italy, spent a lot of time in China during the late thirteenth century. People believe that he saw ice cream being made while he was on his travels there. He then brought the recipe(食谱) for it back home when he returned. This was the first time true ice cream was made in Europe. Perhaps this is why Italians are considered the European masters of ice cream making: they have had more time than other countries to practise the recipe!

In the seventeenth century, King Charles I of England was introduced to the pleasures of ice cream by his new French chef(厨师). He was so surprised by its beautiful taste that he offered the chef £500 a year(around £100, 000 in today's money!). This wasn't just for him to make Charles lots more ice cream. It was also to keep the recipe secret.

Ice cream cones(蛋卷筒) are a popular way to serve ice cream. They're easy to hold ice cream and there is no waste at all because they can be eaten up along with the ice cream. So they're environmentally friendly as well as tasty. It's believed they were invented in 1904 in the US.

Ice cream quickly won the hearts of people in the middle of the twentieth century. At that time, the first fridges became available to the public. Owning one meant you could then keep ice cream at home. They also brought a bigger chance of eating ice cream for those living in hot places.