Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – For Indonesian individuals who stay in tropical areas, sizzling climate shouldn’t be one thing unusual. Nevertheless, that doesn’t apply to Europeans who come to Indonesia.
They’re at all times sizzling and can’t stand up to the robust rays of the tropical solar. On this foundation, in 1845 one of many lodges in Batavia, known as Resort de Provence, offered ice cubes as one in every of its mainstay dishes each night.
Undoubtedly, ice cubes will cool the physique temperature of overheated individuals, whether or not native or European. Curiously, the ice cubes served weren’t made in fridges or freezers like now.
At the moment, fridges or fridges had not but entered the Dutch East Indies. Nobody, whether or not native nobles or Europeans, owned this stuff.
By no means thoughts ice cubes, individuals have by no means seen the type of ice. Solely Papuans who stay within the Jayawijaya Mountains have seen it. So, the one solution to get ice cubes is to import.
Sure, you heard that proper. Ice cubes grew to become an imported commodity in the course of the colonial interval because of the lack of refrigeration machines. This was revealed by historian Achmad Sunjayadi within the e-book The Turning Level of Historiography in Indonesia (2008).
Based on Sunjayadi, ice cubes are a particular attraction for guests to the Resort de Provence Batavia. They loved iced treats whereas watching musical performances. Scorching physique temperature abruptly turns cool.
The determine behind the import of ice cubes by the resort which is now positioned within the Merdeka Palace advanced is Etienne Chaulan. He was a pioneer in promoting ice cubes in Batavia. Because of him lodges and lots of different individuals joined in shopping for ice cubes.
As defined by Denys Lombard in Nusa Java Cross Tradition: Asian Community (2008), the presence of ice cubes within the Dutch East Indies got here from Boston, United States. The ice is made utilizing the precept of freezing water utilizing salt and ammonia. When it’s frozen, the ice is molded into blocks. Solely when it arrived within the Dutch East Indies was the ice block damaged up in line with its perform.
In a search by the CNBC Indonesia Analysis Crew (March 1 2022), ice cubes in Batavia had been priced at 5 cents per pound. It’s a affordable worth. The reason being, in line with Lombard, ice cubes are all about comfort.
With the presence of ice cubes, people cannot solely cut back physique temperature, however may also protect meals. Since then, importing ice cubes has develop into commonplace. Nevertheless, on account of its excessive worth, solely wealthy individuals can take pleasure in it.
It was solely after the data of constructing ice and its manufacturing tools entered the Dutch East Indies that ice factories started to emerge. Initially it was solely owned by Europeans. Nevertheless, slowly Chinese language individuals began producing their very own ice cubes.
In the long run, the emergence of the ice dice manufacturing unit closed the faucet on imports. After that, ice cubes grew to become one thing that can not be separated from serving meals in sizzling climate.
[Gambas:Video CNBC]
(mfa/mfa)
