Catherine de Medici & the "introduction" Ice Cream to France

"How curious then, in modern times--meaning from the mid-nineteenth century on--it has come to be believed that Catherine de Medici was accompanied to France by a bevy of Italian confectioners who taught their French colleagues how to make ices and frozen sherbets. Since the story is widely believed in Italy, appears indeed to be central to the credo of the Italian ice-cream trade...it is necessary to say here that although the source of the story remains unidentified, it is plain that its origins are in the nineteenth century, the likelihood being that it rose out of a lingistic confusion...connected in some way perhaps with the stories of ice introduced into France during Henry III's reign--or shortly before it--and while Catherine herself was still in a powerful position as Queen Mother and Regent. I do know that of two people who helped disseminate it in England one was Abraham Hayward, QC, author of The Art of Dining, published in 1852. In a footnote to his chapter on Paris restaurants, Hayward remarked that it had been established that Catherine de Medici and her Florentine confectioners had brought the art of making ices to the French capital. He gave no chapter or verse, but his footnote gives the impression that it was something he recently read, whether in French or in English perhaps we shall one day find out. It would be agreeable to nail the legend to its origin. The second English writer, who did more than Haywood to establish the Medici story, was Mrs. Isabella Beeton. Very probably she had read it in The Art of Dining. Among many startling statements in her famous Household Management of 1861--the Italians with the exception of macaroni, have no specially characteristic article of food' is a fair example--was her suggestion that in the light of Catherine's great innovation in the matter of ice-creams she might be forgiven the massacre of St. Bartholomew." Harvest of the Cold Months: The Social History of Ice and Ices, Elizabeth David Viking: New York 1994 (p. 44-45)

To make ice cream. Take two pewter basons, one larger than the other; the inward one must have a close cover, into which you are to put your cream and mix it with raspberries, or whatever you like best, to give it a flavour and a colour. Sweeten it to your palate; then cover it close, and set it into the larger basin. Fill it with ice, and a handful of salt: let it stand in this ice three-quarters of an hour, then uncover it, and stir the cream well together: cover it close again, and let it stand half an hour longer, after that turn it into your plate. These things are made at the pewterers." The Art of Cookery Made Plain & Easy, Hannah Glasse, facsimile of the first edition, 1747 Prospect Books: Devon 1995 (p. 168)

Submitted June 19, 2018 at 08:30PM by Olivesplace https://ift.tt/2JYR2Pq