Reflections on Chilly Philly
Bassetts Ice Cream
Bassetts Field Trip
Students' Reflections on Bassetts
and Breyers Ice Cream

Philadelphia Ice Cream History & Chilly Philly

While searching the Internet for information about ice cream in Philadelphia, we came across a web site for a business called Chilly Philly. Chilly Philly is a small Philadelphia ice cream company. Their web site said they visit schools in the local area and give presentations, so we invited them to visit us.

On November 17, 2003, Coleman Poses (President of Chilly Philly) came to our school and gave a talk about the history of ice cream. Here are some of the things we learned:

Around the years 618 – 697 during the rule of China’s King Tang of Shang there was an iced dairy product made from buffalo cream.

During the 16th Century in Italy earlier recipes for iced dairy treats evolved into recipes for ice cream.

During the 17th Century people started using salt to cool ice cream.

During the 18th Century ice cream was mostly eaten and enjoyed by wealthy people. Others could not afford it.

In the late 18th and early 19th Centuries there were many changes in making ice cream.

Philadelphians learned how to make ice cream after the Revolutionary War and people really liked it.

Places called "Pleasure Gardens" became very popular in Philadelphia and other cities. This lowered the price of ice cream and it was enjoyed by many different people.

The use of insulated ice houses made ice available year round and this also helped bring down the cost of ice cream.

In 1843 Nancy Johnson (a Philadelphian) invented an "artificial freezer" which had a hand crank. This made it easier to make ice cream. Many home ice cream maker machines today are modeled after her invention.

Around the mid 19th Century the term "Philadelphia Ice Cream" began to be used. Previously, ice cream was based on French recipes which included eggs. Philadelphia ice cream was different. Besides being made with pure and natural ingredients, no eggs were used. It was also cooked before being frozen, and specks of vanilla beans could even be seen in the vanilla ice cream.

In 1861 Louis Dubois Bassett began Bassetts Ice Cream of Philadelphia. Bassetts is the oldest ice cream company in the United States. It is still owned and operated by the Bassett family.

In 1866 William Breyer began selling Breyers Ice Cream in Philadelphia.

In the early 20th Century Max Schwartz began the Jack & Jill Ice Cream Company. Today this company remains a family business.

The History of Chilly Philly Ice Cream

Chilly Philly was founded by Coleman Poses and his wife Ilene Blitzstein. They live in Philadelphia and started their company after some ice cream companies left the Philadelphia area. Coleman devised an ice cream recipe and they currently make two flavors: vanilla and vanilla malt chip. They sell their ice cream by the pint.

Chilly Philly makes Philadelphia style ice cream. The butterfat content and overrun (how much air is added into the mix) are just right (not too high, not too low). Unlike many other companies, they use a slow cooking process which they claim makes an excellent texture and flavor (without using extra fats).

Chilly Philly's profits go to help Philadelphia-based services, especially related to Philadelphia's schools.

Please continue to the next page to read students' reflections on Coleman Poses' visit.