Did you know that Philadelphia has its own style of ice cream?
The ice-cream-making method associated with our city distinguishes itself from others by sticking to just two basic ingredients (plus the flavorings, of course): cream and sugar. Other popular ice cream styles, like the French method, include things like egg yolks to make the final product richer. Philly-style, on the other hand, is lighter, more delicate, and allows lower-key flavorings to stand out.
The person we have to thank for this method, according to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, is Eleanor Parkinson, a 19th-century Philly resident.
She opened a shop on Chestnut Street in 1818 called Parkinson’s Ice Cream Saloon. Parkinson’s simple recipe made with high-quality ingredients helped her stand out, and her business became so successful that her husband, George, quit working at his tavern next door so he could join Eleanor’s business.
Philly-style ice cream did have some drawbacks, though, compared to other formulations — for example, since Parkinson’s recipes emphasized using cream without any added milk, it could get pretty expensive.
Still, Parkinson’s method spread in popularity in Philly and beyond, and people continue to use it today.
If you want to try making Philadelphia-style ice cream the way Parkinson did, you’re in luck. She wrote a book called “The Complete Confectioner, Pastry-cook, and Baker,” and it includes 30 ice cream recipes, along with recipes for syrups, hard candies, water ice, and other sweets. You can read it for free online.
Oh, and local ice cream lovers, it gets better: Parkinson’s story is far from being the only part that Philadelphians have played in ice cream history.
🍨 Sarah Lohman, a food historian (and co-host of City Cast Las Vegas, one of our sister podcasts), came to town to do research for her upcoming book on ice cream. Listen to the full City Cast Philly episode to hear Sarah explain even more of our city’s contributions to the world of frozen desserts.
