Food

This National Sundae Day, Try Our Cold Snap Comfort Sundae

Even a cold snap falling over much of the country can't stop the fact that tomorrow, November 11, is National Sundae Day. On this day, we celebrate one of America's most beloved desserts, a dish that transformed simple ice cream into something much more indulgent.

The Surprising History Of The Sundae

I think it's probably safe to say that when most of us are enjoying a sundae, we don't have a sense we're doing anything controversial. But supposedly, the sundae was actually invented as a way of getting around Blue Laws (religious regulations that restricted Sunday activities deemed inappropriate for the Sabbath) in the late 19th century. While most people know about Sunday liquor bans, fewer realize that many communities also prohibited soda sales on Sundays.

Religious groups particularly opposed what they termed "sucking sodas," viewing the fizzy refreshments as unsuitable Sunday indulgences. This created a serious problem for the era's booming soda fountain business. Pharmacy soda fountains were the social hubs of their day, serving popular treats like root beer floats and ice cream sodas to crowds seeking relief from sweltering Sunday afternoons. When the soda ban threatened their weekend profits, enterprising pharmacists needed a workaround. Their ingenious solution was elegantly simple: serve the ice cream in a dish, replace the forbidden carbonated soda with chocolate syrup, and crown it with a cherry. This new creation delivered all the satisfaction of an ice cream soda without technically violating Sunday restrictions.

Why Is It Spelled Like That?

Even after solving the legal problem, one issue remained: calling the treat a "Sunday" still rankled religious sensibilities. The clever spelling change to "sundae" provided the final touch, creating enough distance from the Sabbath to satisfy even the most devout critics.

This Week's Recipe

Is it ever too cold for an ice cream sundae? For many of us across the country who are dealing with the first super-cold arctic air event of the season, our resolve to celebrate National Sundae Day may be tested. This week's recipe does it's best to help, despite the cold conditions!