The dessert of summer

I made my first batch of ice cream today. I used the recipe for Crema Ice Cream from Alice Medrich’s book, Pure Dessert. It’s rich and creamy, and although I’m not much for the pure milk/cream flavor on its own, I envision it as a perfect base for many, many different flavors. Vanilla. Mint. Chocolate Mint (as in the chocolate mint that’s growing in my backyard and not to be confused with Mint Chocolate). Peach. Strawberry.

It will also make a delicious alternative to whipped cream (or the traditional vanilla ice cream) as an accompaniment for all of the summery desserts to come — the crisps, the cobblers, the pies — or becoming its own simple dessert with help from a spoonful of berries, peaches, or mangoes. It might even be good topped with toasted shredded coconut and a sprinkling of cinnamon, if you’re into that sort of thing.

It goes really well with blueberry cobbler. It’s not quite blueberry season yet in the Mid-Atlantic, but I had two bags of frozen blueberries that worked just fine. The cobbler garnered rave reviews from Keith, who was, until now, unfamiliar with cobbler, having grown up on crisps and pies. And I’m kicking myself for not writing down what I did. It was a combination/adaptation of cobbler recipes from Smitten Kitchen and Gourmet, and a basic blueberry pie filling. But I’ll get it next time. There will be a next time. You can count on that.