This may come as a surprise, but Neapolitan ice cream wasn't always the classic combination of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry we know today. At one time, Neapolitan-style was the catch-all term for any ice cream sold in the United States by Italian immigrants from Naples, the birthplace of modern ice cream who introduced Americans to their hometown specialty along with another regional favorite, Neapolitan pizza. 

Over time, the term Neapolitan became synonymous with the ice cream sold by natives of Naples, Italy. But what about the tri-color variety still commonly known today as Neapolitan? That connection is sheer coincidence. Let's back up a bit.