Vanilla Bean (part 1)

Here, Selena Sabine enjoys the leftovers of a vanilla shake.  Despite a houseful of Catts, Vanilla is arguably the most popular orchid species in the house.  It mostly comes our way in the form of ice cream.  I'm slowly working through Patricia Rain's Vanilla and, for me and the kitties, the most exciting part is the mass production of ice cream in the early 20th century (134-136).  Artificial pollination techniques (increasing the availability of vanilla) combined with innovations in refrigeration to create a delicious taste sensation.  Because this history is dear to her, Bean created a helpful time line:

1851 -- Jacob Fussell opens the first commercial ice cream plant (in Baltimore, Maryland).

1873 -- Creation of the first ice cream soda

1904 -- Ice cream cone first introduced (supposedly) at St. Louis Exposition and World's Fair 

1909 -- U.S. ice cream sales reach 30 million gallons a year.

1919 -- The Eskimo Pie is introduced 

1924 -- The Good Humor bar is introduced

1926 -- Improvements in motorized freezer technology allow ice cream to be packaged and sold in grocery stores

1930 -- The discovery of dry ice helps create a national market for ice cream