basil ice cream
you already have plenty of pesto in your freezer
I have a dream to someday open a cute, herb-themed cafe (manifesting). It will “herb-themed” in that all of the drinks and foods will be flavored with…herbs. I’m thinking tarragon apricot scones, lemongrass cakes, rosemary lattes, etc. And of course all of the herbs we use will be harvested from a huge garden in the back that surrounds a patio customers can sit in. The vibes will be so good.
Anyways, this dream stems from a current fascination I have with reimagining how I use herbs - which are so fragrant, fresh, and fun - in my cooking generally.
I bought a basil plant at Trader Joes last week that I had fully intended to replant and care for as a permanent member of our household. As one might have predicted though, a few days later it was beginning to wilt and die, so I decided to abandon ship and embrace a Basil-centric menu for the rest of the week. (At this future cafe I will be hiring a professional gardener).
I think the trick to using floral/herbal flavors is to pair them with something traditionally more sweet and warm. For example, I think lavender goes really well with honey. Rose is really good with cardamom. Basil with vanilla.
Don’t be fooled, this pairing method is not an effort mask the basil flavor. This Basil Ice Cream tastes like basil (if you don’t like basil, you will hate it). But the basil and vanilla compliment each other in a way I think really makes sense.
Ice cream isn’t something I make very often and isn’t the most accessible DIY food. But I think this flavor combination could also work really well in other forms! I used up the other half of my basil plant by making a basil-vanilla simple syrup for my coffee. I think it could also make a fun cake flavor! I write this as inspiration for you to start your own basil journey. :)
Basil Vanilla Ice Cream
** I adapted this recipe from one by Katie Kicks at Good Life Eats
Ingredients:
2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
5 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup basil leaves
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
a pinch of salt
Instructions:
Combine the milk, cream, basil, vanilla, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer and stir constantly for about 2 minutes (make sure it doesn’t reach a full-on boil). Then, remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool from hot to warm.
Meanwhile in a medium sized bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar.
After the milk mixture has cooled slightly, transfer it to a blender and puree until there are no large basil leaves visible.
Slowly pour the warm, blended milk mixture into the bowl with the egg yolks and sugar. Start very slowly while whisking quickly. You’ll want to temper the eggs so they don’t scramble.
Once both components have been combined, add the mixture back to the saucepan and stir over low heat until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spatula. It should cling to the spatula so that if you run your finger through it, it leaves a line.
Let the mixture cool to room temperature, and then cover it and put it in the refrigerator until it is completely chilled (at least 5 hours, but I left mine overnight).
Once chilled, churn using your ice cream maker according to manufacturer instructions.
Enjoy!!!! This ice cream seriously turned out so good. My family was obsessed with it.
Currentlys
reading: The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa
This was the first translated book I’ve ever read and I don’t know if I loved it? The plot was a really sweet story about the relationship between a cat and his owner. But!! I just really value a book with beautifully written sentences, and because it was a translated (maybe this was just a bad translation), I felt like it was a really awkward read.
podcasting: “On Children, Meaning, Media, and Psychedelics” from The Ezra Klein Show
This podcast covers a range of topics but I thought it’s discussion on screen time was the most interesting/relevant to me. The crux of the argument is that our brains need breaks to recharge. Adult brains, kid brains, now and in the past - we have always required a break from productivity to reenergize.
What is unique about the modern era is that we increasingly turn to scrolling as a means of doing this recharging. So often when talking about scroll time, we use phrases like “it’s a waste of time” and try to substitute it with a more productive activity (when really our brains are just telling us we want to relax).
What might be more effective is to replace this time with something that brings more pleasure than being on our phones. My phone cannot be my hobby (obviously). But thinking about what hobbies might be generative for me has helped me really reframe my phone issue in a new way. I’m not doing the discussion justice. It was a really good podcast, I highly recommend. :-)
listening to: “Slow Dance” by Clairo. This song is so warm and comforting and I listen to it when I’m driving at night looking at the city. <3
Thanks for reading! See you on Friday xx
Inge
herb cafe shut up!!!