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President Ronald Reagan was well known for his jelly bean jar, but did you know that in 1984, he designated July as National Ice Cream Month and the third Sunday in that month as National Ice Cream Day? It’s the day to go all out with having some of the frozen dessert that comes in at least 50 flavors, some being seasonal.
It is a well known fact that 10 percent of the milk produced by U.S. dairy farmers is used to provide ice cream, contributing significantly to the economic being of the nation’s dairy industry.
The International Ice Cream Association, established in 1900, is the trade association for the manufacture and distribution of ice cream and frozen dessert products.
Vanilla is credited for being the flavor asked for the most in ice cream shops or purchased in half-gallon containers. Of course, it can be doctored up with all sorts of toppings and goes well with apple pie. Next comes chocolate, cookies and cream, strawberry and chocolate chip mint. There are more exotic flavors such as German Chocolate Cake, Black Raspberry Crunch Sundae and Hawaiian Wedding Cake -new flavors tried in 2015.
Some companies will include streusel, biscotti, cupcake crumbs, crumbled pumpkin pie and even sweet tea to make a different variety. Two popular seasonal ones are peppermint and gingerbread for the holidays.
Some ice creams fit specific dietary needs, including reduced fat, fat-free, low carb, no sugar, added calcium and lactose free.
I was introduced to an ice cream scoop that is top-rack dishwasher safe, comfortable to use, has a slightly pointed tip and edges that cut through the hardest ice cream. There is a crevice scraper that digs every last bite of the delicious dessert out of a square container. It is the UrbanTrend model.
Some tips for buying ice cream include:
Be sure to make it the last stop on your shopping list.
Check the temperature of the grocers freezer case to make sure it is not above minus 20 degrees and feel the container to make sure it is hard to the touch.
In open freezer cases, make sure the ice cream is stored well below the freezer line.
Insulate the ice cream on the ride home. Request a freezer bag or place it in an additional brown paper bag. And most important, don’t let it sit in a warm car while making other stops.
It is hard to believe that most people eat 22 pounds of ice cream per year, but that is a given fact and the ice cream companies made more that 872 million gallons in 2014.
June is the highest producing month, and the sales go strong through August, declining through the end of the year.
Premium ice cream tends to have a lower amount of aeration and a higher fat content than regular ice cream, with about 79 percent of the buying public preferring the premium kind, while 10 percent prefer the ice cream novelties, single servings such as ice cream sandwiches and fudge sticks.
It was always fun when we made ice cream at home. There was the mixing of the ingredients, putting them in the container, adding ice and rock salt to the outer container and then twisting the handle until it reached the desired frozen condensity. Sometimes it seemed to take forever.
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Here is a recipe for ice cream from the Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book. And it tells that any flavor of ice cream tastes better if it is allowed to ripen for several hours in the ice-packed container.
Vanilla Ice Cream
4 cups half and half, light cream or milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups whipping cream
In a large bowl, combine half and half, sugar and vanilla. Stir until sugar dissolves. Stir in whipping cream. Freeze cream mixture in a 4- or 5-quart ice cream freezer, churning until it gets difficult to turn the handle.
Remove the lid and dasher and cover the top with waxed paper or foil. Plug the lid’s hole with cloth and replace the lid on the can. Fill the outer freezer bucket with ice and rock salt, enough to cover the top of the freezer can to a ratio of 4 cups ice to 1 cup rock salt. Let stand at room temperature for up to four hours. This makes 8 cups.
Note: To make peach or strawberry ice cream, blend 4 cups fresh strawberries or cut-up, peeled peaches until nearly smooth. Stir blended fruit into cream mixture before freezing. Makes 10 cups.
For chocolate almond ice cream, reduce sugar to 1 cup. Before freezing, add a 16-ounce can chocolate-flavored syrup and 1/2 cup chopped, toasted almonds into the mixture and proceed. Makes 10 cups.
For pecan praline ice cream, put 1/2 cup chopped pecans, 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon butter or margarine in a skillet and put on medium-high heat until sugar begins to melt, shaking skillet occasionally. Do not stir at this time. Reduce heat to low; cook until sugar turns golden, stirring frequently. Spread on a buttered cookie sheet and cool. Break into chunks and stir into ice cream mixture before freezing. Makes 8 cups.
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The Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook notes that there is nothing more refreshing in the summer than an ice cream pie. It’s easy to make and quite tasty.
Strawberry Ice Cream Pie
4 cups strawberry ice cream, softened but not melted
1/2 cup sliced toasted almonds, if desired
Graham cracker crumb pie shell
In a large chilled bowl, stir the ice cream until softened. Stir in almonds, if desired. Spoon ice cream mixture into a graham cracker crumb pie shell, spreading evenly.
For a better tasting, easier-to-cut crust, brush crumb pie shell with a slightly beaten egg white and bake for 5 minutes in a 375 degree oven and cool completely before filling. Freeze 4 hours or until firm. Let pie stand at room temperature 10 to 15 minutes and top slices with warmed, hot fudge ice cream topping and whole strawberries, whipped cream and additional sliced almonds.
Note: Caramel-Butter Pecan Ice Cream Pie can be made by mixing 4 cups butter pecan ice cream until softened and spooned into a graham cracker crust and frozen 4 hours. Top with caramel ice cream sauce, whipped cream and chopped toasted pecans.
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This is another fast dessert, calling for a bakery angel food cake.
Angel Food Ice Cream Cake
One purchased or homemade angel food cake
4 cups, 2 pints, strawberry ice cream, softened
2 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup small, whole strawberries
Split the cake horizontally into thirds. Place the bottom and middle layer on freezer-safe platters; spread ice cream on each layer, 2 cups for each. Freeze layers for 30 to 60 minutes. Place the middle layer, ice cream side up on top of the bottom layer. Top with remaining layer. Cover and freeze for 6 to 24 hours. When ready to serve, beat the whipping cream, sugar and vanilla in a chilled mixing bowl, using chilled beaters. It is ready when soft peaks form. Remove cake from freezer. Spread top and sides of frozen cake with whipped cream. Garnish with strawberries and serve immediately. Makes 10 to 12 servings.
Note: It can be made with fewer calories by using orange, lime, lemon or rainbow sherbet instead of strawberry ice cream. Frost with the whipped cream as in the strawberry cake and garnish with orange, lemon or lime peel strips instead of strawberries.