吃货历史：到底是谁发明了冰淇淋？

It’s hot.

天气太热了！

It’s so warm that the Government has issued a level three amber heat alert.

天气实在太热，政府都发布三级高温预警了。

In order to combat the heat many of us will turn to cold things, and there is no tastier cold thing than ice cream, but where did this moreish munch come from?

为了消暑，许多人都会吃一些冰的东西，而要说到冰饮没有什么比冰淇淋更棒的了，但是这种让人爱不释口的美味到底从哪儿来的？

A happy mistake or purposeful choice, ice cream is believed to have been invented in China circa 200BC, when a milk and rice mixture was frozen by packing it into snow.

一般认为冰淇淋是公元前200年的中国人发明的，那是一个令人愉悦的错误（也可以说是有目的的选择），当时人们把奶和米饭混在一起、放进雪中冰冻。

However, although originating from China, it has taken almost 2000 years for the treat to truly take off there.

然而虽然冰淇淋最早起源于中国，但是这种美食2000年过后才真正受到人们的追捧。

Now, one third of all ice cream bought globally is now consumed in China, which became the largest ice cream market in the world in 2014, beating the US by a lick with $11.4bn in sales compared with $11.2bn.

现在全球三分之一的冰淇淋都由中国消费掉了，而中国（中国人舔掉了价值114亿美元的冰淇淋）也已经在2014年的时候击败美国（112亿美元）成为了全球最大的冰淇淋市场。

According to research conducted by Mintel, this change is due to changing consumer culture, as China enjoys a growing middle class with increased disposable income, while America becomes more health conscious with food choices.

据英敏特的研究显示，这种变化是由消费文化的变化所导致的，中国中产越来越多、可支配收入也越来越多，而美国人则更愿意选择健康的食物。

Alex Beckett, food analyst at Mintel said: "The pace of development, coupled with the immensity of the population, is having an increasing impact on the Chinese ice cream market.”

英敏特食品分析师艾利克斯·贝克特表示：“发展的速度，再加上巨大的人口，对中国冰淇淋市场产生越来越大的影响。”

She added: "However, the vast array of locally produced, low-price brands present a challenge for global ice cream giants looking to develop there."

她还表示：“然而，大量本土生产的低价位品牌对那些渴望到中国发展的全球冰淇淋巨头造成了挑战。”