Why Soviet ice cream was considered the best in the world (13 photos)

The history of this delicacy, beloved by adults and children, goes back more than five thousand years. They say that already in ancient Rome, Emperor Nero allowed himself such a cold and sweet dessert. Today there is a national standard - GOST for milk-cream ice cream. “Gostov ice cream, therefore, is made on a milk basis.”
To the question, what is the phenomenon of Soviet ice cream, which many have admired since childhood? You can argue whether he exists or not. In fact, of course, we all remember one ice cream. Previously, we didn’t have any other ice cream except cream, milk, and ice cream. A pronounced milky taste is what distinguished Soviet ice cream.

Creamy, ice cream, fruit and berry, waffle cups with cream roses, popsicle, cone with chocolate glaze... This is the era of Soviet ice cream! Its quality was legendary. And yet, what is the secret of the unique taste?

1. We owe this to GOST 117-41, according to which we produced the favorite delicacy of Soviet children. It was considered one of the toughest in the world and was introduced on March 12, 1941. The domestic “chill” did not contain a single preservative, only natural milk! And all types of ice cream were produced using the same technology. Therefore, the taste of dessert in any city of the Union was the same!
Initially, the Soviet government did not indulge ice cream and called it a product with a bourgeois aftertaste. Which could not but discredit him in the eyes of the proletarian public. Over time, the government’s attitude towards the dairy delicacy “thawed”, and after the war they began to popularize it in every possible way.

2. Soviet prices:
Ice cream with “swan” (13 kopecks), milk (9 kopecks), fruit (7 kopecks), chocolate “popsicle” small (11 kopecks), large (22 kopecks), “Leningradskoe” chocolate (28 kopecks), in a waffle cup creamy with cream rose (28 kopecks) and ice cream cake with cream.

3. For the first time, ice cream was put on an industrial scale in the 30s. A decree was issued by the People's Commissar of Food of the USSR Anastas Mikoyan, who insisted that ice cream should become a mass food product and be produced at affordable prices. According to the People's Commissar, a Soviet citizen should eat at least five kilograms of ice cream per year! The fact that the United States has long held the palm in this matter also added fuel to the fire. In America, 600 thousand tons of ice cream were produced, while in the USSR - only 8. It was decided to change the situation radically, and Mikoyan went to the USA to purchase the necessary equipment. Already on November 4, 1937, the first Soviet delicacy was released in the USSR. Then cold storage plants opened in Moscow, Leningrad, and Kharkov. In 1940, a powerful ice cream factory opened its doors in Kyiv.

4. We must pay tribute to the quality of the product. Each batch of snow treats was assessed on a 100-point scale. Any deviation from taste, color or smell was considered a defect. In addition, the time for selling ice cream was limited to one week. (Now ice cream can be stored for about six months!) Thus, in terms of ice cream production and consumption, the USSR came to second place in the world after the USA. 2 thousand tons were exported annually. Abroad, Soviet ice cream was classified as a prestigious class. It was served exclusively in expensive restaurants at far from “soviet” prices.

5. At home, the most delicious ice cream in the world did not have time to sit out - it was taken away instantly. They were sold by weight or packaged in 50 or 100 g quantities on street stalls, kiosks or cafes. In the 50s, enticing posters hung on the streets, showing penguins with popsicles - the symbol of ice cream of the USSR.

6. - A glass of “cream” cost 22 kopecks, for another 3 you could take a filling - jam or grated chocolate. There was also a popsicle for 24 kopecks, but it was sold only at one point and very rarely. When the ice cream was first delivered, they packed it in five or six packs at once, so that there was enough for the whole family. An aunty in a colorful cap opened a metal container, and you chose the one you want. If the ice cream ran out, the saleswoman would joyfully say: “It will be there in 2 hours” or sadly: “Don’t wait in line,” and then everyone began to buzz indignantly.

7. There was ice cream in the kiosks infrequently, at best three times a week. Therefore, the queues were serious. And how they scolded people who came from the villages for ice cream! They filled three-liter jars with them, delaying the line for a long time. The cafe sold ice cream; it was filled with multi-colored balls into ice cream makers with a spoon. There was also chocolate, creme brulee, fruit, champagne and even sparkling water with syrup or fruit sauce...

8. For children in the villages, ice cream was a real miracle - it was not delivered to local stores. Therefore, they learned to make the scarce delicacy themselves: they kneaded snow in a mug, mixed it with sour cream and sugar. It turned out almost like the real thing, even if it looked unsightly.

9. Some types of Soviet ice cream were unique. For example, a waffle cup with a cream rose on top or the famous “Gourmand”. We owe its appearance to the discovery of mechanics who invented a special attachment in the 70s. With its help, the glaze began to be applied in a stream, and not by the “dipping method”.

10. There was also tomato ice cream, which many people don’t remember. But those who tried it will never be able to forget its taste. Some considered it a rare nasty thing, others would like to turn back time to try it again.

— “Tomato” was sold in a paper cup, with a stick to boot.
- The taste is unique. It's a shame they don't release it now. It was cheap, only 10 kopecks. Well, if you don’t have enough pennies, sometimes you rummage your apartment upside down, empty out all your pockets, and you can run for ice cream!

11. The real prize was considered to be Kashtan ice cream for 28 kopecks - the price is equal to nine tram rides!

— Fruit ice cream was not considered at all,
— The highest measure of pleasure was the rare “Chestnut”. What kind of chocolate there was - you won’t be able to pull it off by the ears!
It’s not like now, you take a bite and all the chocolate falls off, like needles from a dry Christmas tree.

12. The decline of Soviet ice cream came with perestroika. And since 1990, the country has been overwhelmed by a flood of imported ice cream with obvious chemical filling. The taste of the real Soviet remained in the memories of older generations.

13. And in conclusion, this photograph will tell about another use of ice cream without words: 1962, Cannes. Federico Fellini's girlfriend Anouk Aimee treats the paparazzi to ice cream