WRFH/Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM - Far East, Close Up: Origins of Ice Cream

Episode Date: July 9, 2025

“Far East, Close Up” provides Westerners a front-row seat to the customs, cultures and everyday life in East Asia. Created and hosted by Emma Wiermann.EP 6 "Origins of Ice cream": Today we talk about the origins of ice cream in ancient China.

I'm Emma Wehrman, welcoming you to Far East Close Up, where we provide Westerners of front-row seat to the customs, cultures, and everyday life in East Asia. Today, we talk about the origins of ice cream. And no, it was not the Italians who created it, but the ancient Chinese. About 4,000 years ago, the ancient Chinese began milking cattle. This prized commodity of milk was consumed primarily by the nobility, who had a favorite way of eating it. They mixed overcooked rice, milk, and spices to create a delectable treat. During the summertime, Nobles began to import ice from atop snowy mountains in order to mix it with this treat and make it a refreshing escape from the heat. This created the first ice cream. Today, ice cream is one of the world's favorite treats, and the Chinese word for it is Bing Tiling. I'm Emma Weirman, and this has been Far East Close Up on Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM.