Good Days Again

Published On August 3, 2012 | By Shannon Kulik | Little Boho

A good ice cream making afternoon with kids begins with their picking their favorite ingredients (preferably at your local farmer’s market). Fresh mint and chocolate chip. Blueberries, strawberries, peaches and even watermelon. Maybe, yours roll like ours and prefer ‘vanilla’ – the perfect color to highlight a topping; a scoop of whipped cream or warmed chocolate sauce.

Add waffle cones and waffle cone covers. A sprinkle stand with colorful spoons. Cherries. (A glucose monitoring machine for the rest of us).

When I was a kid, my grandfather made us homemade ice cream. It was a thing – an event really – and I remember stirring and churning and waiting and it was heaven, every single moment of it. His recipe was a bit salty and I think I remember most fondly his peach ice cream, probably because it seemed a bit exotic to a Southern girl like me.

We tried making our own ice cream last year and there were good days again.

I have since discovered that there are thousands and thousands of recipes (vanilla affects the flavor, as does salt).

There are still machines which require a hand crank, but most have been modernized and will do the heavy lifting for you. I chose a machine that offers both options…the one that the kids can crank and when their little muscles run out of steam, I can flip a switch and let it do its thing while we play elsewhere.

I suppose, it’s recreating an idea of family and food; of days outdoors; of excited anticipation; and, creativity.

As I said, good days again.

Maxi-Matic Elite Gourmet Old Fashioned Pine Bucket Electric/Manual Ice Cream Maker. Available at Amazon.com ($60). We chose this unit because it offers both a hand crank option and an automatic option.
Ice Cream Pint Containers from Shop Sweet Lulu ($1). Anyone who reads this site may come to realize that I am gaga for this store. It is the first place I shop when I am planning a kid’s party and it is the first place I turn to for inspiration. And the customer service is top notch. Highly recommended.
Melamine Teaspoons. Available at Shop Sweet Lulu. Package of (6)/($10)
Cuisipro Ice Cream Scoop and Snack. Available at Amazon.com. ($14)
Paper Party Cones by Shop Sweet Lulu. Package of (20)/($7)
Personalized Cardboard Ice Cream Shop. Available at Shop Sweet Lulu.