The History of the Ice Cream SandwichOctober 23, 2015
Ice Scream Social provides delicious ice cream novelties at events in the Boston area. One perennial favorite of both kids and adults is the ice cream sandwich.
The predecessor to the ice cream sandwich was the “okey-pokey,” a slice of vanilla ice cream cut from a large slab. Okey-pokeys were sold by street vendors in London.
According to “Sugar and Snow: A History of Ice Cream Making” by Jeri Quinzio, the ice cream sandwich was invented in 1899 by an unidentified pushcart peddler in New York’s Bowery neighborhood. The sandwiches consisted of vanilla ice cream between two thin graham wafers.
The ice cream sandwich was a revolutionary invention because it was portable. In addition, the heat from a person’s hands softened the ice cream, which made the treat easier to eat. It caught on immediately because people could conveniently carry it around on the street and it could be served without the need for dishes and spoons.
The New York Tribune published an article about the pushcart vendor in July 1900. It said that he was so busy making ice cream sandwiches in a tin mold that he didn’t have time to make change and required people to pay the exact price of one cent.
Jerry Newberg sold ice cream at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. He invented the modern ice cream sandwich that consists of a slice of vanilla ice cream between two rectangular chocolate cookies in 1945.
Ice Scream Social is an ice cream truck and event rental company serving Greater Boston, MA, including