I have to come clean here and tell the truth about myself. I am an icecream-a-holic.

My spell check just alarmed me that there is no such word. Oh, but it's wrong, there is such a thing, and there are a whole bunch of them here in this country.

We Americans slurp up the most ice cream per person than folks in any other nation. It's  a whopping 48 pints for each of us per year.

Not an evening goes by where I'm not going into the freezer for that plastic pail. New York vanilla is the flavor of choice.

Then comes the topping. Some butterscotch caramel warmed for 25 seconds in the microwave not only tops my treat, but tops my day. Yes, 25 seconds is the warming time. I have this down to a science.

Is it just me, or am I just another ice cream loving American? I'm not alone. Here's more proof.

A serving of vanilla ice cream was offered to immigrants at Ellis Island, as part of their 'Welcome to America' meal. Ice cream was first mentioned in writing in this country in a letter from the 1700s, which admiringly described the ice cream dessert a Maryland governor served at a fancy dinner party. Back then, ice cream was enjoyed mostly by a very elite few, including George Washington.

The first ice cream parlor in this country made its debut in New York City in 1776. About 70 years later, the hand-cranked freezer was invented, allowing Americans to make ice cream fairly easily at home.

Today, 98% of all households purchase ice cream.


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