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Rocky Road Candy
Rocky Road Day
Jun 2
Other Scottish Country Dances for this Day
Today's Musings, History & Folklore
"May your only rocky road be ice cream."
This ice-cream inspired reel, perfect for an ice-cream social dance, was devised with the following instructions for each 8 of the 32 bars: Wash Your Hands; Scoop Out the Ice Cream From the Container; Plop the Ice Cream on Top of the Cone; Watch the Ice Cream Drip Down the Side of the Cone & Wipe it Up with a Napkin, all with steps to match! Be it ice cream or candy, Rocky Road is a retro favorite! With various origin stories, Rocky Road ice cream's popularity in the United States is said to be linked to the 1929 stock market crash. In 1906, William Dreyer emigrated from Germany to California to master the art of ice cream making. He opened his first ice cream shop in Visalia, California, and eventually partnered with Joseph Edy, a candy maker, to start a combined company in Oakland, California. Dreyer reportedly used his wife’s sewing scissors to cut up pieces of marshmallow and walnuts, then added them to chocolate ice cream. Although the walnuts were later replaced by almonds, this new flavor combination was named "Rocky Road," alluding to the tumultuous effect of the October 1929 stock market crash on the economy. May you never find rocks in your ghillies, and may your pas de basques as if you're dancing on marshmallows! Two scoops! 🍨🍨
The Rocky Road Reel
Rocky Road Day is a day dedicated to the eating of Rocky Road ice cream, the classic dessert of marshmallows, nuts, and chocolate. As well as an ice cream flavor, Rocky Road is also the name of various desserts that use these same ingredients.
Rocky Road candy has a shady confectionery past. The first namesake dessert was created in Australia in 1853 by unscrupulous businessmen who took confectionery items that had been spoiled by their journey from Europe and mixed them with local nuts and low quality chocolate. The name "Rocky Road" referenced the rough journey and rocky roads to the gold fields during the Australian Gold Rush.
Rocky Road ice cream, in contrast, was allegedly invented by William Dreyer of Oakland, California who cut up walnuts and marshmallows with his wife's sewing scissors and added them to his chocolate ice cream co complement partner Joseph Edy's chocolate, walnut, and marshmallow candy pieces.
After the Wall Street Crash of 1929, Dreyer and Edy renamed the ice cream Rocky Road, "to give folks something to smile about in the midst of the Great Depression."
A rival creamery in Oakland California, makes claims for the same recipe, noting that Dryer's big contribution was to substitute almonds for walnuts!
Whether you fancy walnuts or almonds, enjoy the dance!
And for those who prefer their dessert in a more liquid form you can try a "Rocky Road" cocktail, made with salted caramel vodka, creme de cacao, with a marshmallow and chocolate garnish - walnuts or almonds optional.
Or, try Rocky Road in pie form - click the slice for the recipe!
Click the dance cribs or description below to link to a printable version of the dance!
