A Neapolitan Flavour

Strawberry, vanilla, chocolate: the colours of ice-cream in my childhood. Chocolate was always coveted by my sister Star and I; vanilla a poor substitute; and strawberry only grudgingly accepted if there was nothing else on offer.

Sometimes, to disguise the unlikeable strawberry flavour (too sugary, and tasting nothing like strawberries in my opinion), I would allow the bowl of neapolitan to melt a little and then I would vigorously swirl the flavours together. Then, ‘Neapolitan’ was synonymous with the word ‘ice-cream’, and I never wondered about the origins of its name.

There is one word for these neapolitan-flavoured leather and patent leather Poetic Licence ‘Romance Pumps’: DELICIOUS!These striped blocks of ice-cream were so named after their presumed origins in Naples, Italy. Many Neapolitan immigrants introduced their many-flavoured frozen desserts to the American public in the late nineteenth century. Most likely chocolate, vanilla and strawberry became the standard flavours due to their popularity.

Here is a mouth-watering description for ‘Neapolitan Icey Cones’ from 1894:

These are prepared by putting ices of various kinds and colors into a mold known as a Neapolitan ice box, which, when set and turned out, is cut into slices suitable for serving. However small the pieces, the block should be cut so that each person gets some of each kind. They are generally laid on a lace paper on an ice plate. Four or five kinds are usually put in the mold, though three sorts will do.

The following will serve as a guide in arranging: First, vanilla cream, then raspberry or cherry or currant water; coffee or chocolate in the middle; the strawberry cream, with lemon or orange or pineapple water to finish. A cream ice flavored with any liqueur, a brown bread cream flavored with brandy, with a couple of bright-colored water ices, form another agreeable mixture. Tea cream may be introduced into almost any combination unless coffee were used. Banana cream, pistachio, or almond cream with cherry water and damson or strawberry water are other options.
[Source: Wikipedia]

Yum! I think I need to invest in an ice-cream maker next summer.

Check out a few more ice-creamy pictures in the Out-takes & Extras gallery.