What did people do before they had the fridge?

In the old days, food was preserved by smoking, salting, pickling or drying it.  It has been known for thousands of years that food would stay fresh longer if it were stored in a cold place.  In the days of the Roman empire - that is, more than 2000 years ago - large lumps of ice were occasionally sent from the cold regions to Rome in order that they could make ice desserts and cold drinks.

Even the old Egyptians knew how to chill their food and drink by storing it in moist clay pots.  When the moist evaporates from the clay, it absorbs a great deal of heat.  Later, it was discovered that the use of salt water would further intensify the effect.

The 1500s saw the emergence of Italian ice machines that utilized the rather powerful cooling effect resulting from stirring ice with salts, such as potassium chloride.
In the mid-1600s, the latest thing amongst wealthy Parisians was go to the café to have ice-cold lemonade.