The history of rum and raisin ice cream began in Italy
Maybe you associate raisins with your grandparents – but even today, it’s not uncommon to spot neatly packaged rum and raisin ice cream in a retro living room. The flavor is as sophisticated and nostalgic as it is controversial. Still, if you consider rum raisin another tragedy of the ’80s, know that people have been enjoying this flavor for much longer than that (and they can’t all be wrong).
The idea of combining alcoholic raisins with dessert came from gourmand gourmands in the Italian region of Sicily who dipped Malaga raisins in rum and combined them with vanilla ice cream. Rather than rum and raisins, the treat was initially called “Málaga gelato.” Featuring a high concentration of natural sugar, raisins are used to produce the sweet wines that Malaga, Spain, is world famous for. In fact, when Sicilians first soaked their Malaga raisins, they didn’t use rum at all. Their choice was Marsala wine, which has a strange flavor profile similar to rum. Indeed, Malaga raisins have been marketed as a prized luxury food in Europe since the 1700s, and authentic Muscat de Malaga raisins (pasas de Málaga) are designated with an official DOP seal.
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A nostalgic treat with European roots
It’s unclear exactly when the boozy dessert officially arrived in the United States. A 1932 ad in Oklahoma’s Daily Ardmoreite newspaper said: “Extra Special. Rum Raisin Ice Cream. All New.” Of course, Americans ditched ice cream in favor of vanilla ice cream, and the interplay of deep cinnamon, dark rum, and vanilla made this old-fashioned classic a timeless treat. Some recipes call for a vanilla ice cream base topped with cinnamon or brown sugar. Everything is working. The important part is the chilled, alcohol-soaked raisins, which burst in your mouth for an interesting texture.
Some sources attribute its lasting impression to Häagen-Dazs, which first released a pint of this flavor in the early 1980s. Nearly half a century later, rum raisin is still part of the company’s active repertoire. ice cream company. And it’s not just the ice cream that deserves your attention the next time you find yourself in the frozen food aisle; Those aforementioned Malaga raisins are also worth a try. Yet today, not all rum and raisin ice creams are made exclusively (or even partially) with real Malaga raisins. These are often black or golden raisins. But in the 1930s, these rum-soaked beauties were the star of the show that gave rum and raisin ice cream a lasting place in the unofficial temple of flavors.
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