We haven't had snow like this this winter and, while I'm not complaining, I'd sure like to make some snow cream ... this was originally posted on February 5, 2009.
Yesterday was a beautiful snowy day and at some point in the afternoon I remembered that Bo Parker had mentioned snow cream in one of his emails to me. I haven't made it it years, not since my boys were young, and, as I grew up in Florida, snow cream was definitely not a family tradition. But I still remember reading about the Bobbsey Twins making it and how magical it sounded.
And yesterday's snow was especially lovely, supremely dry and fluffy. I went out around four and scooped up a bowlful then rushed back to the kitchen and sprinkled a little sugar on it along with a dollop or so of vanilla . . .
. . . then stirred in half and half till it began to seem like ice cream. John and I shared the bowl and it was amazing! Pure and simple and very, very cold. So good, in fact, that after supper I made more.
Thanks, Bo! And thanks to the Bobbsey twins.
16 comments:
I was on the phone yesterday, didn't realize my daughter had even gone outside, and here she came with a big bowl of snow, saying, "Can we please make snow cream?" She had done a good job of getting CLEAN snow, so we whipped up a batch!
If you get a craving when there's no snow available, the Mayfield
Snow Cream ice cream is pretty tasty.
One of our dogs was sick last week - when I took her to the vet - he asked if she had been eating a lot of snow - Yes she had - he said that was probably the source of her illness - so cream and vanilla aside - no snow eating for us anymore! (Of course I am sure the snow the dog finds is not as pure as the fresh Carolina snow). We have had 8 inches on the ground here for more than 30 days - supposed to be 52 on Saturday - a heat wave!
I'll have to try the Mayfield's, Phyllis. Didn't realize they had such a thing!
Liz, I made sure to get the snow from a deck our dogs and cats can't get to. And it was Very fresh. No ill effects yet!
The sun is out now and icicles are dripping outside my window. Supposed to be in the fifties tomorrow -- I hope so, as I've got to drive to Birmingham! And right now our driveway requires chains.
Thank you, Vicki. It's great to hear that someone is still enjoying one of the fun things that was a tradition during my childhood. And from the looks of things, you didn't overdo it. I never got a tummy ache from eating too much snow cream, but sometimes a dozy of a headache from eating too much, too fast. It was hard to get a little boy to understand, "Slow down," when he was worried about his treat melting before he could eat it.
Bo Parker
Vicki, Phyllis is right about the Mayfield's Snow Cream ice cream - it's very good. But I would love a big bowl of the real snow cream right now. Mama always made it with evaporated milk but according to Paula Deen (and I believe EVERYTHING she says), the best way to make it is with a can of condensed milk - talk about rich!!
I had never heard of snow cream until I moved up here. Sounds yummy. I remember when Mayfield came out with their version. It was in the local paper since a lady who works at our local Wally World is the one who sold them her recipe. Thought that was kind of odd since there are so many recipes out there for the taking.
I'm gonna try that stuff today I think.
I saw one recipe that called for two eggs, heavy cream, and vanilla -- almost an eggnog. It's interesting the various ways recipes -- The sweetened condensed milk would probably be sweeter than I like -- I used just the barest sprinkle of sugar but lots of vanilla. Thought about adding a tad of dark rum -- maybe next time.
Now I need to find the Bobbsey twins' recipe.
Thanks to Mr. Google I found the Bobbsey Twins book with the snow cream. I see now why I didn't save my BT books. Plus their recipe doesn't sound very good.
"Let us get some really truly clean snow and make ice-cream."
"Let's!" burst out her twin. "Let us make a--a ton of it and then we can play I have a ice-cream store and you can come and buy from me."
"Will you make cho'late ice-cream?" asked Flossie. Chocolate ice-cream was her favorite.
"Sure--I'll make vanilla, an' cho'late, an' strawberry, an' ev'rything," declared Freddie.
From Dinah the children got several small tin cups and a bowl. They also procured a little sugar and a bit of chocolate from the top of a chocolate cake. Then, from Sam, they procured the clean snow, taken from a drift he had not touched before.
"Now, you let me help make it," insisted Flossie.
"But you got to buy it," said Freddie.
"Well, I'm going to be a--a clerk first and help make it," said the little girl.
So the little twins set to work in a corner of the kitchen to make their ice-cream. Dinah, the cook watched them.
"Don't yo' go fo' to muss up my floah," she cautioned. "An' don't eat dat stuff--lessen yo' wants a stomachache," she added.
"Oh, we can eat a little," pleaded Flossie.
"Jess a taste, chile--jess a taste."
Soon the so-called ice-cream was finished--plain white, which the twins called vanilla, one with a few drops of strawberry juice, and one with the chocolate. Then Freddie pretended to sell it at ten cents a quart--and Flossie bought all three kinds, paying two buttons each time. It was lots of fun. But both children were careful to mind Dinah and ate only a little bit, for neither of them wanted to get sick.
What a treat!
Pictures, text and comments included.
Ah yes, Mayfield Snow Cream hits the spot, but not like the real thing. Wonder if we will have any snow this year to make that tasty treat?
It sounds like fun, but how pure is our driven snow, these days?
You are so lucky to have snow...I haven't had a bit yet. I know, watch out what you ask for. The Bobbsie Twins once were very pleasant entertainment.
No, Barbara -- no snow here. Just kinda wishing.
Good point, Martin.
I should know better than to confess to this, but I enjoyed snow cream so much in the Missouri winters of my childhood that one day, walking to school, I noticed a lovely patch of yellow snow and decided to taste it. I remember thinking it tasted like pineapple. Of course, after I told my grandparents about my remarkable discovery, they explained what it was and I never did it again. But here I am, pushing 70, no worse off for that one bite of tainted snow.
That's hilarious, Linda! Thanks for sharing.
Ha, I'm laughing at Linda's story. I must confess I hadn't heard of snow cream. Not sure that I'd be tempted by the stuff that lands here, though it looks clean enough.
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