Picture the scene: you’ve cooked some delicious pancakes for you and your family to enjoy. Some lather their pancakes in maple syrup, while others prefer to eat them with some fruit. The thing is, you know you want something different.
So, you decide to bring out some whipped cream and gently apply some to the top of your pancakes. All of a sudden, the room goes silent. It’s at that point you know you’ve found the perfect accompaniment to your pancakes. And now, everyone wants some whipped cream too!
There is no denying that whipped cream transforms many desserts and hot drinks. The sheer simplicity of it turns almost anything into a culinary work of art. Now you can celebrate the very essence of whipped cream on January 5th: Whipped Cream Day!
History of Whipped Cream Day
If you have never sampled the delight that is whipped cream, you missed out on something great! In a nutshell, whipped cream is a type of cream that gets “whipped” by a whisk or mixer until it becomes light and fluffy.
To achieve the best results, a cream that contains no lower than 35% fat gets whipped. The process of creating whipped cream is simple, involving either a hand whisk or mechanical agitation with a high-speed mixer.
While some people prefer the plain taste of whipped cream, others take things a stage further. You’ll often see whipped cream flavored with ingredients like sugar, vanilla, or chocolate.
Today, there are also dairy-free variants of whipped cream for people with milk intolerances. Most get marketed as vegan-friendly.
History of Whipped Cream Day
You might think that whipped cream is a relatively modern culinary invention. But, its origins date back to the 16th century, believe it or not!
The earliest known evidence of whipped cream appears in the form of recipes from 1549. An Italian Renaissance cook, Cristoforo di Messisbugo, listed whipped cream as an ingredient. His cookbook, Banchetti, composizioni di vivande e apparecchio generale, talks about “milk snow.”
Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, whipped cream was also known as “snow cream.” The earliest known literal references to whipped cream date back to 1629 in France (crème fouettée) and 1673 in England.
Whipped Cream Day references the birthday of Reddi-wip founder Aaron Lapin in 1914. It was in 1948 that he invented Reddi-wip.
