Early Ice Cream Flavors

It’s said that ice cream’s heyday was the 18th century,
Tho not so much for access as for sheer variety.
A bunch of floral flavors such as elderflower, rose,
And jasmine were available and pleasing to the nose.
For sweetness, they had candied pumpkin, pineapple, and pear,
But not all flavors tried for that. Continue if you dare:
One could find avocado, truffle, Parmesan, foie gras,
And artichoke and ambergris and even oyster, gah!
They also had what still are seen as normal flavors then,
Tho chocolate would be different, always spicy with cayenne.
Some early U.S. presidents, assisted by their wives,
Did much to bring the treats into our continental lives,
But I for one am glad their favorite flavors didn’t last.
They sound like they serve best as funny foibles of the past.