Handy Dandy

I've been making a lot of ice cream lately because I don't feel like shelling out the money for something that's packed full of sugar and 'natural flavors'. It's either that or paying an arm and a leg for regular exotically flavored ice cream when you can just as easily make your own. Besides, it's empowering when you know you've MADE THIS FOOD WITH YOUR BARE HANDS. RAWR. It's modern day hunting and gathering.



Mint chocolate chip ice cream




Vanilla ice cream



Earl Grey Ice Cream

Basil Ice Cream (custard making as I type) & lavender honey ice cream (eaten)

I like David Lebovitz's recipes the best (do not balk at the number of egg yolks and cream, I usually use 5 yolks instead of 6, 1 1/2 cups of milk and 1 1/2 cups of cream instead of 1 cup of milk and 2 cups of cream...I like the consistency of it a little better this way). There are many many many ways of making ice cream and everything calls for something to be done a little differently, so I'm always confused as to what to do.

When I found this handy dandy most useful ice cream recipe maker, I was overjoyed.



What you do is drag all the ingredients you want into the window and when you're done, it'll spit out a recipe. Perfect! No more scouring the interweb for Lebovitz recipes! Fantastic.

So now, the basil custard is in the making, the milk simmering with the entire basil plant that I decimated. I saved one stalk and made some heirloom tomato, basil and mozzarella goodness (with some olive oil and some 8 year old aged balsamic vinegar) and it really screams to be sitting pretty on this plate from Fish's Eddy. Hmm....I sense a considered impulse purchase. Together with the grid paper tray that I want to serve cheese on so that I can cut my cheese into precise squares and rectangles.




My little appetizer is sitting pretty with some lovely yellow flowers Luke from the farmer's market gave me in exchange for some fresh baked muffins on Saturday. I love barter. These flowers are scattered in various vases, containers, old vinegar & wine bottles around the apartment.



Left: Bottle of 2006 Monpertuis, Counoise (an all-Counoise grape wine). It's $12 and won't bust your budget and goes great with red meat. Very delicious, light and crisp. It's the only red wine that hasn't knocked me out. I had 3 glasses at once with a big steak and was very happy.
Right: Bottle of White Balsamic Vinegar from O&CO. It is DELICIOUS with some Basil Olive Oil on salad.