Another of the treats of summer was making ice cream, cracking up the big block of ice and taking turns with the crank—hard work that was rewarded by getting to lick the dasher when the ice cream was ready. Today we can buy convenient small ice cream makers that allow you to put the freezer bowl into the freezer so there’s no chopping of ice and the churning goes much faster. I particularly like making my own ice cream because I can use pure ripe seasonal fruits and berries and pure cream, without all the additives of candies and cookies that go into the commercial varieties today. Also, it’s a good way to preserve berries if I’ve been tempted to stop at a nearby farm where you can pick your own—and I inevitably pick more than I can eat up.
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Put the bowl of your ice cream maker into the freezer 24 hours ahead (I usually keep it there all summer).
Step 2
Mix the mashed berries or other fruit with 3 tablespoons of the sugar, then taste critically and add more if you like. Stir in the creams and pour everything into the icy bowl of the ice cream maker. Follow the manufacturer’s directions for freezing.
