[\nc! FaMnGies Ice Cream Cone Officially Turns 100 (NAPSA)—When asked to name the important inventions of the 20th century, several technological marvels come to mind: rocket ships, computers, cell phones and the ice cream cone. That’s right, the ice cream cone. It may not have landed man on the moon and advanced the human race, but it has created fond childhood memories and good times shared with family and friends. The cone has made such an impact on our culture that it is difficult to trace its roots. While several people have claimed to have invented the treat, it’s clear that the ice cream cone came upon the scene between 1903 and 1904. Fans are using the cone controversy as a reason to celebrate the 100th anniversary throughout 2003 and 2004. An undisputed admirer of the cone is Michael Keller, executive vice president of Marketing for International Dairy Queen. The company has served billions of cones since the first cone debuted at Dairy Queen on June 22, 1940 in Joliet, Ill., and is planning a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of the ice cream cone. “You could say that the ice cream cone is a symbol of Americana,” said Keller. “At Dairy Queen we've taken it a step further, developing a signature curl at the top of the ice cream created by a flick of the wrist by trained company employees. We may be knownfor thecurl, but we owe a debt to the cone.” The man with the legal claim to take credit for the cone is Italo Marchiony, who immigrated to the United States in the late 1800s. Having landed in New York City, he started his own businessselling lemon ice from a single pushcart. As his business grew, he came up with the idea for the ice cream cone by shaping paper into the form of a cone. The paper evolved into a cone-shaped pastry that could also be eaten and enjoyed. Marchiony’s biggest rival to the title of creator is Charles Menches, a vendor at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. Menches had customers lining up for ice cream served in bowls—until he ran out of bowls. Thinking fast, he sought out Ernest Hamwi, a Syrian immigrant selling zalabis, a crisp, waffle-like pastry. Menches bought the zalabis, rolled them into the shape of a cone we recognize today and was back in business. From then on, the popularity of the cone tookoff.
