Interesting Facts About China

Ice Cream

While ice cream is often associated with being a product of Italy (due to being confused with Gelato), it was actually yet another ingenious Chinese invention. Over 2,000 years ago, King Tang of Shang commanded a group of 94 men to gather up flour, buffalo milk, and camphor. This was the first time that an ice cream-like substance was eaten.

In around 200 B.C., an early form of ice cream was created, whereby a milk and rice mixture was made and packed into snow to be frozen. During his travels to South East Asia, Marco Polo was believed to have seen ice creams being made on the leg of his trip in China. Upon returning home, he introduced the concept of ice cream to Italy, at which point it gained further popularity.