How an eleven-year-old invented the stem glace
3.7.2024
Translation: machine translated
Did you know that the Stängeliglace was discovered by chance? And in winter? Five facts about ice cream, because summer is still not here.
Judith and I revealed our four favourite kiosk glaces in the latest episode of the Podcast "Uftischt". Most of them are classic stalk ice creams. Eating them is a balancing act between involuntary eroticism, sticky fingers and the threat of stains. Nevertheless, I can't get away from the practical ice cream portions in a handy format. What seems so obvious (ice cream on a stick to take away) is purely an accidental invention.
An eleven-year-old invented the stick ice cream
The Stängeliglace was not created in the laboratory of a food multinational, but by pure chance. In 1905, eleven-year-old Frank Epperson stirred sherbet powder in a glass of water and forgot his drink on the balcony. Temperatures dropped below zero overnight and the water froze, along with the wooden stick that Francs had used to stir it. When he realises his mishap the next morning, he removes the frozen soda from the glass and licks it off the wood. It tastes so good that little Francs starts selling his invention in the neighbourhood and years later on the beach. The rest is history.
I hate touching the wooden sticks with my teeth or lip
My biggest problem with Stängeliglace is that I can't finish eating them. I hate the feeling of the wooden sticks on my lips and tongue. Just thinking about it sends shivers down my spine and gives me chicken skin. I'm obviously not alone in this. A study from the USA shows that twenty to thirty per cent of all people suffer from sensory processing sensitivity and react more strongly to certain sensory impressions. In my case, these are apparently wooden ice cream sticks and unglazed clay, such as a water jug.
Here we discuss the phenomenon in the podcast.
The largest stem ice cream in the world
The world's largest stick ice cream was 6.4 metres high and weighed over nine tonnes. The record was set in the Netherlands in 1997 and should have been broken in New York in 2005. The juice manufacturer Snapple wanted to produce an even larger stem ice cream there. However, due to the high temperatures, it melted so quickly that onlookers had to flee to safety when the ice cream collapsed. The fire brigade had to help clear the streets. Snapple did not repeat the attempt.
Trashy stalk ice cream in popular culture
If you're of an advanced age or have an affinity for 70s trash, you'll be familiar with "Popsicles". An eight-part film series about three teenagers who indulge in the trials and tribulations of love life and get up to all kinds of mischief. The erotic comedies have aged really badly. Also very trashy and hardly known is the Korean animated film "Aachi & Ssipak", in which the population of a dystopian cyberpunk future is kept happy with drugs in the form of stalk ice and the renewable energy source of the future is human excrement. And finally, the video for Katy Perry's "California Gurls" also qualifies as a trashy representative of pop-culturally abused stem ice. Melt your heart away.
Do-it-yourself stem glace
Finally, there are a variety of moulds in the range that you can use to make your own stick ice cream. Fruity coloured or grumpy grey, the choice is yours. The great thing is that I don't have to lick any wooden sticks.
P.S.: Here you can listen to "Uftischt" on Spotify or here to subscribe in your favourite app.
Simon Balissat
Teamleader Editorial
Simon.Balissat@digitecgalaxus.chWhen I flew the family nest over 15 years ago, I suddenly had to cook for myself. But it wasn’t long until this necessity became a virtue. Today, rattling those pots and pans is a fundamental part of my life. I’m a true foodie and devour everything from junk food to star-awarded cuisine. Literally. I eat way too fast.
Food
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