Today was a split food celebration day where it was both National macaroni Day and National Strawberry Sundae Day. When I asked my daughter if she had to pick just one food to celebrate today, macaroni and cheese or strawberry sundae, she was fairly clear which she wanted to get jazzy with. Now, make no mistake, she also fielded chowing down on both, but since this is also National Ice Cream Month, I thought that there was really only one choice for my family. Today would be a sundae kind of Saturday.
You know, to qualify as a sundae all you really need to do is put something on top of your ice cream. It can be nuts, syrup, sprinkles, whipped cream, or really just about anything. Just last month Burger King launched a bacon sundae. Personally, I feel that a sundae needs to at least have a syrup and some whipped cream on top. A cherry is nice too.
Ithaca, New York claims full credit for the inaugeral Sundae in 1892, although Two Rivers, Wisconsin seems to think they invented it as well. Since Ithaca actually backs their story seven ways from Sundae, however, I’m going with their history. They say it was something that a local soda jerk at a pharmacy just kind of whipped up one day for a local Unitarian reverend when he wandered in one Sunday. The vanilla ice cream with cherry syrup and a candied cherry on top that he was served was so unique that people felt they jus needed to name it. Unfortunately, the dude who made it had, like, zero creativity since he thought it would be genius to name it after the day on which he made it (snore!). So, why do we spell it weird?
Sadly, unlike its derivation story, the sundae’s etymology is not backed by any documentation what so ever. The strongest speculation, however, is that your standard crazy religious weirdo thought it to be unholy that something so “sinfully” yummy should be named after the Catholic Sabbath day. Changing the spelling would of course fool everyone, and make The Church leave the sinners to eat their deliciousness in peace. I guess this story works, in spite of the fact that the person who ordered the first one was a reverend. He was a Unitarian reverend after all.
My family shared a strawberry shortcake sundae at Coldstone Creamery. It was basically a race for most bites. I should have bought three I suppose, but I thought it would be nice to share. It was delicious, though, with pound cake on the bottom, vanilla-ish ice cream on top, strawberry syrup, strawberries and of course whipped cream.
In closing, I declare this: I will see you again soon National Ice Cream Month!
See you Sunday for National Milk Chocolate with Almonds Day!
