pineapple coconut ice cream courtesy asweetpeachchef.com
The media is “awash” — as we’re all praying not to be, in suggestions for recipes to indulge in for the upcoming weekend. Honestly, I am amazed that they are predicting a tropical storm on the east coast for the 4th of July. So, in case the storm does decide to hit here, we indeed may have to be clinging to something! And well, great food and drink is always an option! Especially cool food…….
I cannot remember any such thing in my past-middle age (is 60 past middle age?) lifetime. Well, here I sit, stymied by the forecast in some ways, but not in others. As I envision the possibilities: gales blowing, flags whipping, barbecues washed out, not to mention dunes and newly constructed staircases drifting out to sea, but surfers reveling, I can still operate fully in the recipe-idea department. Today’s NYT is replete with frozen concoction recipes and iterations. Each time I read an article or book about ice-cream I am instantly taken back to two crystal-clear scenarios from my childhood:
- Val’s: from about age 5 I frequented a corner confectionary store at the end of our street – they had an old-fashioned counter with swivel seats and served Breyer’s ice cream from those great cardboard tubs. My favorites, then and now: Strawberry first and Peach second (surprise!) Well, that was in order of how I ate them then, I may be reversed now – but it is soooo hard to get good peach ice cream!
- When I graduated to what is now known as middle school, aka grades 4-6 in our district, I conveniently had to pass by the local Dairy Queen twice a day. We were allowed to walk or ride bikes to school back then (the stone age as Ryan would say) and in the warm weather I was lured into the land of Dilly Bars and Chocolate-dipped soft serve cones on an, ummm, occasional (haha) basis.
Honestly, there was nothing like these two opportunities for a kid like me. I grew up in the time of summertime playground programs, sponsored by our town, could walk or ride my bike back and forth, and for many a year did arts and crafts in the am and played hours of kickball and baseball in the pm. These were the years before we got to join the pool. I have very fond memories of these years – one worth mentioning? -when we did our talent show rendition of the Supreme’s Stop in the Name of Love…….now that was a classic – we had all the authentic moves! Can you picture it? I still can……
Anyway, having these two ice cream depositories, so close by, were the source of great hot-afternoon solace – and were bolstered by the neighborhood grocery store’s inventory of classic popsicles – grape, pink lemonade, and cherry being de rigueur – well with a creamsicle or fudgesicle thrown in now and then……
it may be original, but now it’s owned by Unilever 🙁
Honestly, I feel sorry for kids who don’t have the freedom to ride their bikes and explore anymore for fear of every possible terror to be imagined. My own kids spent their summers behind the fences of the country club pool and tennis courts before we dispatched for the Cape………… oh well, kinda sad.
I love to scan the articles all around in the media these days and see if I agree and want to embellish, do a re-mix or have any bright ideas in the frozen department. I particularly love Melissa Clark’s article, “A Frozen Canvas, a Spectrum of Flavors”. Here she offers a good base recipe for ice cream and then an array of flavors to try. Hmmmm, let’s just see how we can do some choice combining……. brainstorming:
- banana, pineapple coconut, rum aka Pina Colada+(kicking up the feature above)
- Peach melba
- nectarine,blueberry, lemon
- lemon peach
- blueberry fudge
- blackberry peach
- lemon verbena lavender lemon
- earl grey cantaloupe
- cantaloupe lime
- cantaloupe basil
- cantaloupe blackberry
- strawberry tarragon
- basil peach
- coconut peach
- plum, lemon, goat cheese
- cherry coconut almond
- s’mores
- cherry-lime rickey
- the Harry’s Bar Bellini
- honeydew lime toasted-coconut almond
- blueberry goat cheese with candied lemon peel strips
- rose petal
- Gorgonzola Peach
- Plum Ginger Crumble
- Ginger Mango
- vanilla and potato chip (don’t knock it till you’ve tried it – my fav from 7th and 8th grade)
- raspberry mint chip
Whatever flavors you decide to pick – you can embellish them with some different dairy options – like goat cheese or mascarpone – or even if you are daring, Gorgonzola!!! Add nuts, toasted coconut and whatever “floats your boat” as I have in some of the options I’ve listed above. Just note that the addition of alcohol inhibits the freezing of ice cream so you may be better with extracts or just a Sip (Roseann) – but, whatever you think of, give it a try! You can use drink recipes or other dessert recipes as inspiration.
Here is the recipe for the Pineapple Coconut Ice Cream – of course, I would toast the coconut and add the bananas and rum 🙂
http://www.asweetpeachef.com/ice-cream/pineapple-coconut-ice-cream/
So, this weekend, rain or shine, get out your ice cream maker. There are also lots of options available if you don’t have an ice cream maker. Just take a google online……..
So, let’s just see what tomorrow’s forecast will bring. We will have to do a lot of last minute shuffling if it is going to be a wash-out. Hope your plans will be fine.
Also, check out Tipping Cow Ice Cream – at the Union Square Farmer’s Market – http://www.tippingcowicecream.com