From presidential obsessions to dog treats, how ide cream has made the dog days cool.

What do Thomas Jefferson's 18-step ice cream recipe, Fidel Castro's 18-scoop binges, and a failed assassination attempt have in common? They're all part of ice cream's surprisingly scandalous past that Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely share in this week’s episode of Family Tree Food & Stories. 

This week, we share how ice cream has evolved from when the Egyptian pharaohs made it,  to what snow cream is, to how it became so much fun that it was banned on Sundays (yes,

really!).

• Did George Washington really blow a fortune on ice cream in 1790?  Perhaps.
• What did Nancy Johnson do to transform dessert-making for busy moms everywhere?
• And, what’s the real truth behind the  Dairy Queen rumor?   

Ice cream plays a big part in so many birthday traditions, including dog birthdays too.  If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to be a Good Humor truck driving entrepreneur, well, Nancy fills you in there, on her own experience. 

But there’s so much more to ice cream, including political activism, fancy molds, the birth of the real sundae, and more.

This episode of Family Tree Food & Stories will have you looking for more ways to enjoy the dog days of summer with a cold cone and a newfound appreciation of ice cream stories worth sharing.

Three more things you’ll learn about in this episode:

• Who were the women pioneers of ice cream?
• Who brought it to the US?  
• Who used Ice Cream to try to assassinate a world leader?

Warning: This episode may cause sudden cravings for Carvel's chocolate bonnet cones, or have you making a fast sprint to catch the neighborhood ice cream truck, and create an irresistible urge to make snow cream when the snow falls again.

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About Your Award-Winning Hosts: Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely are the powerhouse team behind Family Tree, Food & Stories, a member of The Food Stories Media Network, which celebrates the rich traditions and connections everyone has around food, friends, and family meals. Nancy, an award-winning business leader, author, and podcaster, and Sylvia, a visionary author, lawyer, and former CEO, combine their expertise to bring captivating stories rooted in history, heritage, and food. Together, they weave stories that blend history, tradition, and the love of food, where generations connect and share intriguing mealtime stories and kitchen foibles.

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Mentioned in this episode:

Book #1 Midroll 6-19-25 update