Buttermilk Sherbet
The Good Old Days
I'm old enough to remember hand-cranked ice cream as a kid. I also know that ice cream was a valid excuse for having children. That way you (as an adult) could enjoy fresh creamy ice cream without having to sit and turn the crank. If you've never used one of these devices, you fill a large canister with an ice cream mixture, insert a paddle with several blades that stirs the mixture, set the canister in a larger bucket filled with ice and salt, attach a crank mechanism to the top of the canister, and then turn the crank for about 140 hours until the ice cream is soupy instead of liquid.
The problem with this process is the crank is impossible to turn. You see, the gears that convert the crank motion to the paddle affair in the canister are made of metal and no matter how thoroughly greased the gears may be, they rust. This makes turning the crank exceedingly difficult (at least it does for a 10-year-old).
Then there's the squabbling.
While one kid turns the crank, another has to sit on a pad of newspaper on the bucket assembly to hold it still while the crank is turned. The sitting bit is easy enough, but your bottom gets wet and cold. So you fidget, which makes it harder for the kid on crank duty. Then there's the third child who disappears and never takes his (or her) turn as he (or she) is supposed to but still gets to eat the ice cream. Lot's of opportunity for squabbling.
Perhaps this experience is why I've never been a big ice cream lover. Ice cream's alright, but I almost never buy it. Nevertheless, there was one ice cream we had as kids that I really liked and that didn't involve the ice cream machine/rack: buttermilk sherbet.
My father would make this and although it was frozen as hard as a block of ice, it was pretty tasty. I hadn't thought about it in years, but for some reason it popped into my mind the other day and so I made a batch. I varied from Dad's recipe in two ways. First I added some fresh mint to it, and second, I made a point of stirring it with a fork every hour until it was frozen. The stirring makes it much easier to scoop out and to eat.
Try these buttermilk desserts too:
Buttermilk Pudding
Buttermilk Pie with Lemon Mint Sauce
I'm old enough to remember hand-cranked ice cream as a kid. I also know that ice cream was a valid excuse for having children. That way you (as an adult) could enjoy fresh creamy ice cream without having to sit and turn the crank. If you've never used one of these devices, you fill a large canister with an ice cream mixture, insert a paddle with several blades that stirs the mixture, set the canister in a larger bucket filled with ice and salt, attach a crank mechanism to the top of the canister, and then turn the crank for about 140 hours until the ice cream is soupy instead of liquid.
The problem with this process is the crank is impossible to turn. You see, the gears that convert the crank motion to the paddle affair in the canister are made of metal and no matter how thoroughly greased the gears may be, they rust. This makes turning the crank exceedingly difficult (at least it does for a 10-year-old).
Then there's the squabbling.
While one kid turns the crank, another has to sit on a pad of newspaper on the bucket assembly to hold it still while the crank is turned. The sitting bit is easy enough, but your bottom gets wet and cold. So you fidget, which makes it harder for the kid on crank duty. Then there's the third child who disappears and never takes his (or her) turn as he (or she) is supposed to but still gets to eat the ice cream. Lot's of opportunity for squabbling.
Perhaps this experience is why I've never been a big ice cream lover. Ice cream's alright, but I almost never buy it. Nevertheless, there was one ice cream we had as kids that I really liked and that didn't involve the ice cream machine/rack: buttermilk sherbet.
My father would make this and although it was frozen as hard as a block of ice, it was pretty tasty. I hadn't thought about it in years, but for some reason it popped into my mind the other day and so I made a batch. I varied from Dad's recipe in two ways. First I added some fresh mint to it, and second, I made a point of stirring it with a fork every hour until it was frozen. The stirring makes it much easier to scoop out and to eat.
Buttermilk/Pineapple Sherbet
2 c buttermilk
2/3 c sugar
1 can crushed pineapple (8 ounce)
3 tbsp minced fresh mint
Add sugar to buttermilk and stir until dissolved. Stir in mint and pineapple (with juice). Pour into an 8x8 dish, cover, and freeze for eight hours.
Once each hour, scrape the sides with a fork and stir mixture -- the process is like making a granite but the buttermilk won't freeze the same way a granite does.
Try these buttermilk desserts too:
Buttermilk Pudding
Buttermilk Pie with Lemon Mint Sauce
12 Comments:
I'm convinced that my Dad had kids to fetch him beer! lol
You mean, you actually had siblings to help you out?!?
Oh well... the mint milano looks like a wonderful scooping device, at any rate.
Jeff,
That too.
S'kat,
I'm impressed. How'd you know it was a mint milano?
Love the simple combination and of course ... the storytelling!
Yeah, those were going out of style when I popped out but my dad had many other slave like jobs for me.
Hi Kevin,
I remember those hand crank icecream makers. they are still seen in some icecream shops in India. When I was a kid my grandparents used to rent one in the summer and make all their grand children take turns at turning the handle. The scene was just the way you describe it with some of us disappearing from the scene and turning up only when the icecream was served. And the fresh mango ice cream we made was the best ever.
Alanna,
It really is good and is still my favorite version of ice cream.
Peabody,
Dad's are like that.
Anupama,
Of the ice creams we made, peach was everyone's favorite. The Southern version of mango, I'd guess.
Yes, peach ice cream. I keep threatening to get one of the reproductions (because I imagine the rusty gears had the original thrown out) so that I can tourture my sister's kids with crank duty and peach ice cream memories
Jasmine,
Torturing nieces and nephews has it's own special allure.
I've never seen those hand crank machines but htey sound fun. Thanks for joining in at HHDD.
Made this a few weeks ago, without the mint because I couldn't find it, but it was extremely good! The pineapple chunks are divine. Thanks for sharing!
Anon,
Glad you liked it.
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home