An Ode to Ice Cream

Whatcha' doin' ice cream?

Being the most delicious thing in the world.

Oh, thanks for doing that.

You're the best.

And I love you.

Ice cream is my favorite food in the world. I can't resist the call of its silky texture, cool refreshment, and sweet deliciousness. The top photo is of a batch of red velvet ice cream that I made. Since I've never seen red velvet ice cream at any shop or restaurant, I think I invented it. Actually, it was so delicious that I think it used me to invent itself. Anyways, the basic idea is to take a vanilla ice cream base and after churning, mix in chunks of red velvet cake, and swirl in ribbons of cream cheese frosting. Here are the recipes for the components:

Red Velvet Cake

from: Lee Brothers' Southern Cookbook

yield: 2 9" rounds

2 3/4 c. + 1 T sifted cake flour (or 2 1/2 c. AP flour)

2 t. salt

2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. baking soda

1/4 c. cocoa powder

1 oz. red food coloring

1 1/2 T water

8 oz. softened butter

2 c. sugar

3 ea eggs

1 1/2 t. van x

1 c. buttermilk

1) Sift dries

2) Make a paste with the cocoa powder, coloring, and water

3) Beat butter and sugar for about 3 minutes

4) Add eggs and vanilla

5) Add the paste

6) Add the buttermilk, alternating with the dries (*avoid overworking)

7) Bake at 350º for about 30 minutes

Cream Cheese Frosting

3/4 c. butter

1# cream cheese, softened

1# 10x, sifted

2 T milk

Vanilla Ice Cream

from: Farallon, probably developed by Emily Luchetti

2 c. Milk

1 c. Cream

1 ea. vanilla beans

5 yolks

1 1/2 c. sugar

pinch salt

The second picture is of Peach-Buttermilk Sherbet. A very delicious summer treat. Oooh Idea! I bet it'd be good with champagne poured over it.

The third picture is of an awesome gelateria. Since I am half-Italian, I am biased in my belief that the best gelaterie are in Italy. But his one happens to be in Austria! It is Zanoni Zanoni Gelateria in Vienna, Austria. Look at the gelato piled high! What heaven. I went there when I was 21 and traveling with Paul and Rachel, and we were hardly eating because we had no money. This was such a splurge. It was like a beautiful oasis in a desert of bread and cheese (which was also delicious, but not as delicious as ice cream).

The fourth picture is of the famous Buy Right Creamery on 18th St. in San Francisco. I always go with friends here because they make waiting in the ever-present line not so bad. I think on that particular day I was eating coffee-toffee, but I always change it up.

And the last picture is of a mini ice cream cone that I made at Zuni when I worked there using Jen's pizzelle mold. Isn't it adorable!

Figs and Family

Figs make me think of my nonno. He has 4 fig trees around his house (2 in the front yard and 2 in the back). They've been there since I was born so for me, they've always been there. He has both black and white figs as he calls them, but I think they are Missions and Kadotas. I remember when I was a little girl I wouldn't eat the figs because the insides looked like they were full of worms. Now, however, I can't resist them! We are able to pick figs from my nonno's trees twice a year, once in June and again in August. These are pictures from the first coming of the figs this year, 2009. I can't wait for August!

When we get so many figs we don't know what to do with them, my nonno dries them. He puts them in jars with powdered sugar and they become a delicious sweet snack for the rest of the year.

A very "Martha" 4th of July

I think every July issue of Martha Stewart magazine has some variation of the "Flag Dessert" as I like to call it. Whether it is a pastry cream tart with berries, a cake with berries, or a collection of cupcakes with berries, it's there. So when my aunt asked me to make a flag cake like the one she saw in Martha Stewart magazine, I knew exactly what she was talking about, and I readily accepted! I made a half-sheet red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting. It's topped with blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries. I feel so patriotic.