Fun facts and ideas for National Ice Cream Month

National Ice Cream month gives us reason to celebrate one of the nation’s coolest, sweetest treats.

There simply isn’t a need for a post about ice cream. We already love it. We usually eat it without much prompting. No one needs to sell the idea that “ice cream is awesome.” We know that.

But here are a few things about ice cream that you might not have known:

• Without a spoon, the average person requires 50 licks to finish a one scoop ice cream cone.
• The waffle cone (like so many wonderful food items) was created by mistake. The ice cream vendor at the World Fair in 1904 ran out of dishes so he paired up with the nearby waffle vendor and the rest is history.
• America leads the globe in ice cream happiness! California produces the most ice cream in the nation and our nation produces the most ice cream in the world. We also eat the most ice cream, at about 23 liter per person annually. Second runner up is Australia.
• Making one gallon of ice cream requires 12 gallons of milk. (When you figure that out, let me know.)
• Apple pie isn’t the most American treat. Immigrants arriving on Ellis Island were often offered ice cream as part of their welcome meal.

And you want to know some other cool stuff to do with ice cream? Check out these fun recipes.

Just in time for July 4^th, create a Stars and Stripes Ice Cream Cake using:

• 1 pack of white cake mix
• 1 quart of vanilla ice cream
• Whipped cream
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 pint strawberries
• 16×12 cake pan

Follow the directions on the box to create the cake batter. Line your cake pan with wax paper and bake the cake fully. Remove cake and wax paper; let the cake cool.

After the pan has cooled, smooth the ice cream into its base. Create an even layer and pop the pan and ice cream into the freezer to harden. Once firm, dip the pan into hot water for about 10 seconds, just enough to slightly melt the edges of the ice cream so that it slides off as a single block on top of the cake. Decorate the ice cream top with blueberries, sliced strawberries and whipped cream. Place it all back into the freezer to harden before serving. A party of 15 can enjoy this treat.

For a truly decadent experience, try the Oreo and Fudge Ice Cream Cake recipe on the Kraft website. Yum!