The origin of plombières ice cream is disputed.^[2] It is unclear whether its name refers to the commune of Plombières-les-Bains. A folk etymology suggests that the dish was first served to Napoleon III at the signing of the Treaty of Plombières^[1] in 1858; but Marie-Antoine Carême provided a recipe for "plombière cream" in his 1815 book, Pâtissier royal parisien.^[3] Similar recipes can be found in other French cookbooks from the 19th century.^[4]^[5]

According to Pierre Lacam in 1893, "plombière cream" takes its name from a utensil used to make it.^[6] A similar etymological theory was proposed by Joseph Favre in his book Dictionnaire universel de cuisine, which says that "plombière is a synonym for bombe, which is used to grind the ingredients of the dish".^[7] Other scholars have suggested that the dessert takes its name from the mold in which the cream is pressed.^[8]

Plombières ice cream is mentioned in Splendeurs et misères des courtisanes, published in 1844 by Honoré de Balzac.^[9]

Plombières should not be confused with Malaga ice cream, a vanilla ice cream served with dried raisins soaked in Malaga wine or rum.^[10]

In the Soviet Union, plombir (Russian: пломбир) became a popular dish that is still seen in post-Soviet states.

History

See also

References