In Merriam-Webster’s dictionary the initial definition of ice is listed simply as “frozen water.” In Fannie Merritt Farmer’s 1896 The Boston Cooking School Cookbook, she gives a recipe for vanilla ice cream that contains only three ingredients (cream, sugar, and vanilla) and directions that say simply mix ingredients and freeze. These are the literal definition and most basic recipe for frozen ices, but it doesn’t end there.

Ice, of course, has many uses. From preserving foods to certain medical procedures, ice is essential. As a word, it can be used as a noun, verb, or adjective. And the substance itself can be eaten for pure enjoyment. It’s magical, really, and one that I take for granted daily. A liquid made solid.

Imagine, though, a time before acquiring ice was as simple as reaching for a cube tray in your freezer, or a bag of it at a local convenience store. Options were limited. You either scooped up snow or cut chunks of it from frozen lakes. The ancient Persians are credited with devising underground cooling chambers (called yakchal) that doubled as food and ice storage and that would hold both throughout the hot summer—the original ice box. This said, it’s easy to see how having ice to eat on a hot summer’s day was once something truly decadent, if not laborious.

There are a few theories on the origin of ice as a food. One is that it’s related to methods the Chinese used for thousands of years to preserve fruits and juices. Another is that it stems from a treat that the Roman Emperor Nero is said to have enjoyed: mountain snow drizzled with honey. Indeed, it was originally a food for the wealthy. Early recipes contained no dairy and were based on frozen fruit syrups, not unlike a sorbet or snow cone today. The French word sorbet, the Italian sorbetto, and the English sherbet are all said to be derived from the Turkish chorbet, or possibly the Arabic sharab, which generally refers to syrup-based fruit drinks. The addition of cream (and eggs) made the delicacy even more decadent and exclusive.

One of the differences between the original recipe—ice drizzled with juice and honey—is that today the juice itself, along with a multitude of other ingredients, is frozen. In other words, it is not ice that is flavored but flavored ingredients that are made into ice.

In today’s terminology there are many words that describe these recipes, sometimes with subtle differences. Ice cream, the most common word for iced goodness in North America, is just that: frozen cream (and eggs, sugar, and other ingredients), usually aerated as it freezes to give it more volume and lightness. Gelato is an Italian ice cream, but it is traditionally softer, richer, and a bit thicker, as it has not been aerated. Sorbet and granita are similar in that most are based on frozen juices and sometimes contain alcohol but usually not dairy; granita is usually softer than sorbet and has a courser texture. And sherbet is similar to ice cream in that it contains dairy but it has a lower fat content.

And while making frozen dessert ices at home may seem a bit daunting, they really are not. Similar to Mrs. Farmer’s original directions you basically mix everything together and freeze it. Most recipes do involve minor stovetop cooking (to make a syrup), but the most difficult part of the recipe is to keep it from freezing into a solid block. This can be addressed in a couple ways. One is to stir the ice frequently with a wire whip as it freezes, or—if you are like me and don’t feel like doing this—after it has frozen, break it into chucks and spin it in a food processor for a few seconds, and then refreeze it.

At any rate, these are really simple to make and are quite literally history in every bite. And they taste really great on a hot summer’s day.

Maple-Cranberry Sorbet Makes about 5 cups 3 cups water 1 cup sugar 2 cups (about 6 ounces) fresh-frozen cranberries 1⁄2 cup maple syrup Combine the water, sugar, and cranberries in a small sauce pot and bring to a boil. Stir and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook the cranberries for about 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, stir in the maple syrup, and allow to cool for a few minutes. Transfer the mixture to a food processor (in batches if necessary) and process until smooth. Pour into a shallow pan and freeze, stirring as necessary. If the sorbet freezes too solid, remove it from the freezer and allow it to warm for a few minutes at room temperature. Then break it into pieces and spin if in a food processor for a few seconds and re-freeze it. Red Wine-Fudgesicle Sorbet Makes about 5 cups 3 cups water 1 cup sugar 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 cup red wine Combine the water and sugar in a small sauce pot and bring to a boil; simmer for a minute or two. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate chips, stirring until dissolved. Stir in the red wine, then transfer to a shallow pan and freeze, stirring as necessary. If it freezes too solid, remove it from the freezer and allow it to warm for a few minutes at room temperature. Then break it into pieces and spin if in a food processor for a few seconds and re-freeze it. Watermelon-Black Pepper Ice Makes about 5 cups 4 cups diced watermelon, skin and seeds removed 3 cups water 1 cup sugar 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 or 2 teaspoons black pepper Puree the watermelon in a blender and set aside. Combine the water and sugar in a small sauce pot and bring to a boil; simmer for a minute or two. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the watermelon puree along with the lemon juice and black pepper. Let rest for about five minutes. Pour into a shallow pan and freeze, stirring as necessary. If it freezes too solid, remove from the freezer and allow it to warm for a few minutes at room temperature. Then break it into pieces and spin if in a food processor for a few seconds and re-freeze it.

Sam’s Sangria Granita Makes about 5 cups 3 cups water 2 cups red wine 1 cup sugar 2 slices lemon 2 slices orange 2 slices lime 1 cinnamon stick Combine all of the ingredients in a small sauce pot and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook for a minute or two. Remove the pot from the heat and let stand at room temperature for about five minutes. Strain into a a shallow pan and freeze, stirring as necessary. If it freezes too solid, remove it from the freezer and allow it to warm for a few minutes at room temperature. Then break it into pieces and spin if in a food processor for a few seconds and re-freeze it. Orange-Rosemary Sorbet Makes about 6 cups 3 cups water 1 cup sugar 3 cups orange juice t tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons grated orange rind 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary Combine the water and sugar in a small sauce pot and bring to a boil; simmer for a minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the orange juice, lemon juice, orange rind, and rosemary. Allow to stand at room temperature for about 5 or 10 minutes. Transfer to a shallow pan and freeze, stirring as necessary. If it freezes too solid, remove it from the freezer and allow it to warm for a few minutes at room temperature. Then break it into pieces and spin if in a food processor for a few seconds and re-freeze it.