Black History : Butter Pecan Ice Cream (2024)

History

During the era of Segregation in American history, Black Americans were free from slavery, but they were not free from discrimination. One form that discrimination took was that Black people were denied access to certain things. They were not allowed to attend schools with white teachers and students – only schools with Black teachers and Black students – and water fountains were all designated for either white people or Black people.

A lesser-known act of discrimination, however, focuses on ice cream. During the days of segregation, vanilla ice cream was not to be sold to the Black community. It was seen as “pure” due to the white color, and so they were denied the right to purchase it. From there, Black Americans turned to butter pecan ice cream instead. Darryl Goodner from the Butter Pecan Podcast says it best: “Butter pecan is indicative of a lot of things about Black people as a culture: When you don’t have this option, you figure out the other one” (DailyDot).

Black History : Butter Pecan Ice Cream (1)

So what is the history of the butter pecan flavor? Antoine (no last name) was an enslaved man who lived in Louisiana. Not much is known about him, as goes the story of many enslaved people, but there is one thing historians do know: Antoine is the person responsible for figuring out the key to quickly harvesting pecan trees. Before Antoine, many had tried, but the process always took too much time to be of any worth.

Antoine specialized in working on his owner J. T. Roman’s gardens. During this time was when Antoine learned that the trick to promoting the quick growth of pecan trees was to “tie the roots from a tree with premium pecans to those of a lesser tree” and doing this would help the lesser tree produce higher-quality pecans (Feast Afrique) . And the rest was history.

Butter pecan ice cream has been eaten and enjoyed by a large handful of the Black community ever since the discovery of being able to produce and harvest pecans at a greater pace. Check out this TikTok below by nikki.mov to learn all about the history and cultural significance of Butter Pecan Ice Cream, as well as a visual on how to create the yummy treat.

Black History : Butter Pecan Ice Cream (2024)

FAQs

Black History : Butter Pecan Ice Cream? ›

During the days of segregation, vanilla ice cream was not to be sold to the Black community. It was seen as “pure” due to the white color, and so they were denied the right to purchase it. From there, Black Americans turned to butter pecan ice cream instead.

What is the story behind butter pecan ice cream? ›

Butter pecan ice cream originated out of necessity. Many Black families have passed down accounts saying that they could not eat and purchase vanilla ice cream in the Jim Crow South when racial segregation was legal.

How old is butter pecan ice cream? ›

The best estimation for the evolution of butter pecan ice cream in particular would be the late 1800s to early 1900s, when recipes and flavor preferences were cited in articles.

What age group eats butter pecan ice cream? ›

People who are 18-34 years old were more likely to prefer cookies 'n creme (14%) and chocolate chip cookie dough (13%), while people 55 and up were far more likely to prefer butter pecan (17%) and vanilla (16%).

Who eats butter pecan ice cream? ›

Pecans were native to the South and therefore easily accessible ingredients, which helped butter pecan become a favorite ice cream flavor among Black people. Thus the love affair of butter pecan ice cream was born.

What does butter pecan ice cream say about you? ›

Butter Pecan

You're a little old fashioned and maybe a little conservative. You're a hard worker who is detail-oriented at work and in your social life. (And very respectful to your date.) So while you are kind of conservative, you also are a decadent person.

What's the difference between butter pecan ice cream and praline pecan ice cream? ›

Compared to butter pecan ice cream, praline ice cream is smoother in texture, owing to the fact that the nuts have already been transformed into pralines. Butter pecan ice cream keeps the actual pecan nuts intact, resulting in a crunchier texture.

What is the oldest ice cream in America? ›

A fifth-generation family business in Philadelphia, Bassetts Ice Cream is proudly known as America's oldest ice cream company.

What is the 77 year old ice cream chain? ›

Baskin-Robbins is making some changes. The 77-year old ice cream shop is tweaking its logo, employee uniforms and packaging to update the brand. It's the first major update for Baskin-Robbins since 2006, according to the company.

What is the oldest ice cream Flavour? ›

While no one is clear about the exact dates, the IDFA dates ice cream's origins all the way back to 2BC. They believed that it was Alexander the Great who was known to enjoy snow and ice flavoured with honey and nectar. Whichever version you believe, it seems that the first ice cream flavour had honey in it.

Can you eat 3 year old ice cream? ›

Yes, it can. Healthy adults with a robust constitution may want to risk eating ice cream that's been in the freezer longer than it should, but if you have a household that includes the elderly, very young children, and people who have a weakened immune system, you should not serve them out-of-date ice cream.

Can butter pecan ice cream go bad? ›

When does butter pecan ice cream expire? Butter pecan ice cream can last a good while if stored properly, typically 2-4 months in a standard home freezer. Once opened, it's best to enjoy your ice cream within 3 weeks for optimum flavor and texture.

How many people like butter pecan ice cream? ›

Only 3% of Americans say they don't like ice cream. There are regional differences in preferences. Southerners like butter pecan ice cream the most (42%), while Midwesterners like chocolate chip cookie dough (44%) and caramel ice cream (41%).

Where did butter pecan ice cream originated? ›

During the days of segregation, vanilla ice cream was not to be sold to the Black community. It was seen as “pure” due to the white color, and so they were denied the right to purchase it. From there, Black Americans turned to butter pecan ice cream instead.

Is butter pecan ice cream just vanilla? ›

Butter pecan ice cream is smooth vanilla ice cream with a slight buttery flavor, with pecans added. It is manufactured by many major ice cream brands. A variant of the recipe is butter almond, which replaces the pecans with almonds.

Does Breyers make butter pecan ice cream? ›

Same page link. Discover Breyers® Butter Pecan with rich vanilla and butter-roasted pecan pieces. So good, it's nuts!

Do people like butter pecan ice cream? ›

Butter pecan ice cream is a crowd favorite across generations and geography. Whether you make this classic ice cream flavor at home or grab it from your favorite store, it's a delight that'll stand the test of time.

What is the difference between butter brickle and butter pecan ice cream? ›

Further internet research also shows that the difference between butter brickle ice cream compared to butter pecan ice cream is the addition of one little thing. While both recipes include up to two tablespoons of actual butter incorporated into the recipe, butter brickle ice cream also includes some butter-flavoring.

What's the difference between butterscotch and butter pecan? ›

Butterscotch Involves Brown Sugar And Butter

This gives butterscotch a richness in common with butter pecan, but the flavor profile is totally different owing to a lack of nuts. Unlike butter pecan, we have a much clearer sense of where butterscotch came from: 19th century England, possibly as early as 1817.

Does Blue Bell ice cream make a butter pecan? ›

A rich, butter pecan ice cream with lightly salted, roasted pecan halves.

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