A childhood treat was going to a Howard Johnson’s restaurant, climbing on a stool and staring at the sign touting 28 flavors of ice cream.
And trying not to drool while I decided which one to ask Myrtice Warren to scoop and stack on a sugar cone.
The orange-roofed 28-flavors mecca on U.S. 301 North is gone, but not my affinity for ice cream. For years, I thought Breyers peach was borderline addictive. Homemade peach ice cream is definitely habit-forming.
In recent times, I’ve tilted toward Blue Bell. If I owned that company, I’d suggest this motto: “We sell what we can and eat the rest.”
This time of year, we love pulling out our hand-crank, wooden White Mountain churn. Yeah, we have some plastic electric models, but teaching kids—and adults—the value of working for an ice-cream reward is part of old-fashioned summertime fun.
Swamp sherbet
A favorite—thanks to the late Jack Cowart—is what we call “swamp sherbet.” Years ago, a group of friends and I were on a fishing trip. I took along our White Mountain churn and the fixings.
Larry Walker’s 10-year-old grandson, Walker Way, wanted to help, so I whispered, “Shhhhh, Walker, this is a secret family recipe. You can’t tell anyone.”
I asked him to pour in a 2-liter bottle of Orange Crush and then a can of Eagle Brand condensed milk. That was it. Then I installed the ladle and put the top on the tub. When the crank mechanism was affixed, we layered crushed ice and rock salt. As Walker started cranking the handle, I reminded him to keep the recipe a secret.
“But Mr. Dink,” he said, “this ain’t a secret. We just put in two things, and everybody was watching.” Today Walker is a UGA graduate, and this ain’t a secret, either. You can add a drained can of crushed pineapple to the recipe. Also, you can switch from Orange Crush to a variety of flavors. My friend Adam Nation likes to use Dr Pepper. And if you enjoy this treat, know that Jack is smiling in heaven.
Tallulah chocolate
Here’s another no-cook recipe that’s a favorite of son Alan and his family in Habersham County. Besides an ice cream churn—electric or hand-crank—you’ll need:
§ 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder
§ 1 8-ounce tub of Cool Whip
§ 1 can of sweetened condensed milk
§ 1 half-gallon of your favorite brand of chocolate milk
Combine all the ingredients in the tub of your ice cream maker, and use a whisk to blend in the cocoa powder. Then layer the outer rim with rock salt and ice. Start churning for a treat that will serve 12.
Ice cream sandwich cake
Our grandchildren could eat a washtub of this dessert, but Pam uses a large glass baking dish. She likes this, too, because there’s no cooking. All that is necessary is unwrapping ice cream sandwiches, stacking, layering and drizzling before putting it into the freezer.
Ingredients:
§ Ice cream sandwiches
§ A tub of Cool Whip
§ Chocolate and caramel syrup
§ Maraschino cherries
§ Chopped nuts and/or M&M’s Minis
Here’s what you do:
Line the bottom of the dish with unwrapped ice cream sandwiches. Add a layer of Cool Whip. Drizzle chocolate and caramel toppings. Add another layer of ice cream sandwiches (optional, as are next two steps). Add another layer of Cool Whip. Drizzle the toppings. Sprinkle the M&M’s or chopped nuts on the top. Add the cherries in a pattern that suggests individual servings to be sliced. Cover and freeze for a few hours. When ready to serve, use a warm knife to slice.
And that reminds me.
We have some in the freezer.
Later.
dnesmith@cninewspapers.com
