The discovery of whipped cream is lost in the dark. The process is easy enough that it has been discovered by accident many times in many places. A likely scenario is when someone in cool weather was making butter, but in a hurry, they whipped the cream instead of whipping it. A popular tale tells of a quick horseback ride with a bowl half full of cream.

The first known reference was when French chef Vatel created a variation with sugar to serve at a reception honoring King Louis XIV in 1661. The addition of sugar is taken for granted today, but many other flavors have been added. over the years, vanilla being the most common. Other popular scents include brandies or liqueurs and orange.

In the 1930s, British scientists began developing aeration systems for use in the food industry. They soon developed a working system that uses pressurized N2O (nitrous oxide). The N2O is completely immersed in dairy products like cream, causing an instant whipped cream when the pressure is released. Portable units suitable for home use were developed, as well as larger commercial systems.

After World War II, American companies began manufacturing whipped cream dispensers. Many never developed quality systems and some companies discontinued production. The introduction of single-use disposable cans in the 1950s led to the closure of most of the remaining ones.

Disposable can waste has always been considered undesirable, even in the useless period of time in which it was developed. The nature of the system always left some cream in the can when the N2O was depleted. The waste of the can itself was not a problem at the time. Convenience was considered to far outweigh the disadvantage of waste.

In today’s environmentally conscious society, many of us are no longer willing to contribute to the waste of disposable cans. There are many quality alternatives available. Making whipped cream at home with a whipped cream dispenser is fun, environmentally safe, and less expensive than disposable pressurized cans.