Lavender Ice Cream

(makes about 1 quart)

•  4 large eggs, separated

• 2 cups heavy cream

• 1 cup milk (or almond milk)

• ¼ ts salt

• ¾ c sugar

• A small handful (about ¼ c) lavender leaves washed – you can leave them on the stalk if you’d like

 This is a no-holds barred version – you can find lower fat, more standard ice-cream recipes online and just substitute in the lavender steps if you’d like.

 Combine the milk, cream, and sugar in a large pan. Add the lavender leaves and heat gently over low heat. The idea here is not only to heat the milk but to give the lavender time to infuse flavor so keep it low enough to do some other tasks and not have to stir constantly – that part comes later.

 Separate the eggs and set the whites aside for something else.  Beat the salt into the egg yolks. When the milk mixture is hot – steaming but not simmering, temper the eggs (add some hot milk to the egg yolks stirring constantly and then stir the egg mixture into the milk pan also stirring constantly.)

 Stir everything over low heat until thickened with no taste of raw egg and the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and pour through a strainer into a large bowl. This removes the lavender and any accidental lumps. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Assemble your ice-cream maker and pour the mixture in as you would any other. Sample frequently and often 😊

The Unofficial End of Summer

I’ll be making the last ice cream of the year this weekend – a repeat of the amazing blackberry from a few weeks ago. Fresh Himalayan blackberries from the field, eggs from the hens and lots of love stirred in. Ice cream tastes different when you know the name of the chicken that laid the egg.

The chickens are positively blossoming – Maisy is over her bout of adolescent broodiness and Cleopatra deigned finally, to add a blue egg to the mix, nicely contrasting with all the shades of brown.  Daisy and Cleopatra keep trying to escape the enclosure to go exploring. I think I finally understand why people buy halters for their chickens.

The garden has not done well  – too much heat without water, too much wind, and too many deer/rabbits. But I have a plan for next year that’s going to involve a lot of construction and plastic sheeting.  Hopefully next year can free me from the grocery store for produce. The fruit trees though, have given abundantly. I picked the last of the peaches today, having dehydrated enough to get over a pound for the winter.  The chest freezer is full of goodness and it’s going to be exciting to sit down to cherry fruit soup at Christmas.

I’m looking forward to autumn and cooler temperatures. Hopefully it will be a time to get back to house renovations and writing now that the first year of Short Meadow is complete. I’m excited to use the new wood stove and think hygge thoughts!