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That is a very easy thing to say these days. The "tub" of ice cream in the "frig" is an easy solution for what's with "pud" on a hot day!
BUT- think back to the old days, when many homes had no refrigerator. For some people, the coolest spot in the house was an ice chest, and even that was only possible where commercially produced ice, home delivered, was available.
In earlier years and in remote areas, the coolgardie safe was the best attempt at producing coolness. For those too young to know - a coolgardie safe was an open sided metal cupboard with wet toweling.
A large container on top was filled with water, and toweling strips led the water from the top to the sides, by capillary action. The water evaporated (or drained to the bottom) and the supply at the top had to be replenished. The safe had to be in a breeze, and of course, out of the sun!
Regular watchfulness was needed so water was constantly available at the top, and drained water was not allowed to overflow inconveniently. Most importantly, the toweling had to be kept wet!
Other schemes were used for cooling, such as terra cotta butter coolers, but all were dependent on the same principle - cooling by evaporation of water - just as we experience, standing around in bathers!
Ice chests and coolgardie safes were usually adequate for cooling down home made milk puddings, custards, junkets and blanc mange were, and still are, enjoyable in summer, even if they are "old" fashioned.
Some enterprising families would eat the first course of their evening meal, then send one or two of their children to a nearby milk bar. The children would buy ice cream and race home before it had melted. My parents did this - over seventy years ago - only as a special treat!
The name "coolgardie" safe indicates it origin in Western Australian gold fields. When we visited the W.A. Goldfields Museum, at Mundaring W.A., we were astounded to find no mention of the Coolgardie Safe as a very functional item of every day living. We asked questions of course, but staff there told us they had never heard of a Coolgardie Safe!
History needs recording!
E. Jean Ryan
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