Snow cones are a classic fat-free summer treat. With a little shaved ice and a flavored syrup, it’s a treat anyone can enjoy. Despite the prominence of this gift, most people don’t know how it came about.

Amazingly, the ancient Romans are credited with creating the original version sometime between 27 B.C. C. and 395 d. C. The snow was lowered from the tops of the mountains and flavored with syrups. Although undoubtedly considered a pleasure, this process was laborious and would have required great speed lest the ice melt before it could be consumed. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the creation of snow cones was revived. In this case, the ice blocks were shaved in a manner similar to grating cheese with metal blades, and then the syrup was added to the finished shaved ice product. Manual razors were produced by many manufacturers in the late 19th century. Although it was certainly less time consuming than shoveling snow down from the top of a mountain, this process was still labor intensive.

The easiest incarnation of these delicacies came in the early 20th century. In 1919, Samuel Bert began selling modern versions at the State Fair of Texas. A year later, he invented his own version of a snow cone machine, which could produce the treats much faster than previous attempts. He continued to sell his popular cones at the State Fair of Texas until his death in 1984. Ernest Hansen in New Orleans also created his own snow cone maker in 1934. His came equipped with a scraper motor. ice quickly and evenly. He and his wife created various flavors of syrup to add to ice and opened their own business, featuring his invention. The establishment is still open to this day, and Mr. Hansen continued to work there until a year before his death.

Ever since snow cones became easier to make, people all over the world have grown to love them, resulting in new and unique varieties of flavors and serving styles. The Japanese, for example, enjoy akizuki syrup, also known as the red bean flavor. Leche, or flavored milk, is popular in Mexico. Puerto Rico tends to serve ice in a pyramid shape. They are especially popular in tropical and island habitats due to high temperatures throughout the year. Snow cones have a long and varied history and are clearly here to stay.