Hey now, Pacific Northwest summertime! Ready for dessert? Who wants to make some ice cream so grungy that Cobain himself would have applauded its unmistakable nonchalantness- that certain something of a Seattle je ne sais quoi? Like Fennel ice cream. Like a sundae made with kirsch caramel sauce and bing cherries and hazelnuts resting upon mounds of oh-oh-so-so vanilla ice cream. Ice cream made of milk, whole and raw from the breast of a cow or goat and soy milk made from soy plants that sing Hendrix at night to the stars. This is Ice cream made with fresh Pacificnorthwestern grown mint and huckleberries with quietly humming northern souls. When you eat this ice cream- you will become filled with the soul of music inspired by gray days and gritty nights and a few short weeks of sun in the summer. Let's get Pacific northwest with this ice cream recipe.
First let's start with equipment:
1- ice cream maker
2- bowls of all sizes, stainless steel or glass
3- whisk
4- decorative ice cream bowls and and stemmed sherbert glasses with tiny silver or gold spoons
5- linen and silk blended, hand-embrodiered napkins because you are very, very fond of your guest. you can order a pair of napkins for every occasion, made by a seamstress in Portland for less than $20. why not? life is short. live, artfully. (old plaid shirts ripped into squares may be a good alternative for casual nights)
6- cocktail glasses
Ingredients
1- milk (raw, whole)
2- heavy cream
3- fennel seeds
4- vanilla beans
5- sugar, granulated
6- salt (a pinch of)
7- egg yolks
8- bing cherries
9- huckleberries
10- blueberries
11- white chocolate chips
12- a lime
13- hazlenuts, pinenuts, walnuts (toast for toppings)
14- Kirsch (3 bottles of) - a cherry liqueur beloved by women and Germans
15- Absinthe (2 bottles)
Mix and serve chilled. Invite friends, listen to The Decemberists, blast KEXP on the radio, stay out of the sun. Stay cool, always stay cool. Cherry? Champagne cocktails would also go well with the Fennel ice cream and your solid black outfit. Chocolate covered espresso beans to go on that Triple Northwest Berry Oh-Oh-So-so Vanilla Bing Cherry Nut Sundaes. Don't forget a glass of chilled Absinthe stirred with mountain fresh mineral water and take a walk on the wild side! Like Oscar Wilde style so keep the Kirsch Caramel sauce handy if you have company over!
Garnish with mint, of course!
