Project Ice Cream

   I've given myself a new goal.  A project that could theoretically never end.  A goal I'm excited to accomplish.  I am going to make a new ice cream every week.  
   This is a pretty perfect project for me.  I love frozen desserts, and I love making up new flavor combinations and ice cream mix-ins.  I acquired this enviable skill over countless trips to the local Shake's Frozen Custard for concretes in college.  I'd really prefer to only eat frozen custard, but alas, I live in a sad, sad place with no comparable frozen custard experience.  Don't fret, I'm still happy as a clam eating ice cream and frozen yogurt.  Especially when I know exactly what's going into each recipe; I can add beautiful, seasonal produce, homemade sauces, or my own cookies, brownies, and crunchy bits.  It is also nice to have control over how rich or healthy the recipe is.  A weekly ice cream will definitely be a nice outlet for my cravings of the moment. The only real downside here is that I might eat ALL of it.  I'm glad I know a lot of people who like ice cream.
    I've been going for two weeks in a row now, thanks to plenty of lovely fruit at the market.
Last week was just a simple triple crown blackberry frozen yogurt.  For those who haven't had the good fortune to try this type of berry, they are stunningly sweet and perfumey.  I mentioned them in the last post, but I love 'em.
    This week I snagged some local peaches for Crunchy Caramel Peach Frozen Yogurt.  A very simple peach frozen yogurt base with caramel and oatmeal cookie bits added at the end.  I couldn't stop licking the bowl and spatula with this one.  It might not be in our freezer very long.
    So, an official announcement to my family in Oklahoma:  here is your chance for requests!  Four weeks of ice cream making to enjoy by the pool.  A key lime pie version is really calling my name....

My Pietopia Pie

     I recently entered this year's Pietopia contest- a challenge to write what your life tastes like in a pie.
Contestants were asked to write their explanation in 300 words or less and submit it along with a recipe for the pie.  I loved the idea of Pietopia the moment I read about it and started writing that night.
     Pie is my dessert of choice; I like it to be present at all holidays, special events, and gatherings (this is really a topic worthy of its own entry).  Plus, exploring the emotional connections to what, how, and why we eat is how I prefer to write about food.  Perfect fun...writing about pie... a challenge I couldn't resist.
     I chose to write about a very personal family journey and much to my surprise and delight, was selected as a winner! Even better for me, was the strong, positive response from my family and close friends. I think the pie was able to give voice to something we'd all been feeling and didn't quite have words for.  I was hesitant at first to put our story on paper, but I realized afterwards how therapeutic it was for me. Creating the pie gave me a fresh perspective on a situation full of complex and confusing emotions.  Winning the contest gave me the courage to share my writing with my family.   I've even shared with coworkers and people I would have never otherwise talked to about my experience.  Hearing their response has made me realize I have a story worth communicating and connecting to others through.  We all do.  Just as Tricia hoped when she created this contest, Pietopia has the power to "open doors for understanding."

Jam Hands

    I finally allotted a weekend afternoon to making jam.  I've had many moments of good intention since the berries have shown up at the farmer's market this year, but the large amounts of berries we purchase each weekend never seem to make it that far.  We are berry-eating machines in this house; between cereal, smoothies, ice cream topping, and compulsive snacking, a half flat is gone in the blink of an eye.  You'd think we would grow tired of them, but nope. Different varieties keep coming in and they continue to delight- marionberries, raspberries, chester berries, blueberries, triple crowns, silvanberries,
boysenberries, etc.
    So, with jam in mind, I doubled up on the berry buying and still had plenty for our everyday eating. I used a jam recipe from Molly Wizenberg.  There's no added pectin, and the sugar content is low in comparison to many ratios out there. The berries here are incredible as is; they don't need a bucket of sugar covering up their natural sweetness. I used mostly marionberries, along with a pint or two of blackberries and raspberries.  I was a bit concerned about the jam not thickening properly, but it set up just enough. I love jam still full of seeds and loose enough that it spreads easily.  No mysterious gloppiness.
     I am pretty darn pleased with this jam.  A smidge of tartness amidst a comforting sweetness, and a consistency that allows for plenty of tasty possibilities.  I've been eating it by spoonfuls, but I think I must drizzle it over some lemon pound cake and homemade vanilla ice cream soon.  Or layer it in a gooey Monte Cristo sandwich tonight.
     I have plenty of ideas up my sleeve and peace of mind knowing that there are jars of jam to pop open and enjoy even as berry season dwindles and I no longer have pints of fresh fruit overflowing on our counter.