Homemade Ice Cream

Mr. Bootsie and I purchased a small 2 quart ice cream freezer.  The other day we planned to make our first batch of ice cream.  As I was making the custard the memories of ice cream came to my mind.  Banana, peach, strawberry, vanilla and chocolate what flavor would it be when Momma and Daddy made ice cream?  They had a big old 1 gallon freezer from Richmond Cedar Works and it had been used.  The church had ice cream socials and lawn parties.  They were always serving lots of ice cream you would make the custard, bring in the can along with someone to crack the freezer and your cover for  the freezer.  This would be done in the early part of the day allowing lots of time for the ice cream to cure.  There was a big piece of canvas which covered the freezer after it was packed with ice to keep the cream frozen.

It was early on Sunday morning and Daddy was calling me.  "Bootsie, get up if you want to go with me."  I thought Sunday, Daddy is going by himself, oh my goodness, where are my clothes.  I have got to get dressed before he leaves me.  "Daddy, I am getting dressed, I want to go with you."  As I came through the kitchen Momma was busy cooking in a big pot on the stove.  "You can have your breakfast when you get back."  Smiling, I hurried to the car to ride with Daddy.  The trip took a good while and Daddy was a good driver so I could get a little shut eye on the road.  The car came to a stop and Daddy was talking with someone.  "Do you have any ice?'  "Yeas, sir.  I gots plenty of ice.  You gonna make cream for the youngin?"  Daddy just shook his head yes.  The trunk was open and the wash tub came out.  The man turned to me, "You wannta go in?'  I loved to go in the ice house.  Big blocks of ice and it was so cold in there.  Daddy chose the block of ice he wanted and it was put in the wash tub.  This was put in the trunk wrapped in newspaper and the canvas to hold the cold, off we went.

Arriving at home there was pancakes awaiting us with syrup and sliced peaches.  I knew it was going to be peach ice cream.  Momma asked Daddy, "Are you going to freeze the cream before of after church?"  After because we are running a little late.  What?  No dasher to lick before church.  How can that be?  And there will be others here after church.  We were home from church early as this was a Sunday when there was only Sunday School.

Daddy came through the door pulling off his Sunday clothes and putting on everyday clothes.  He looked at me and said, "Hurry and change your clothes.  We need to freeze the ice cream before everyone gets here."  I took off and changed my clothes, came back outside with the rock salt in my hands.  Momma was bringing the can with the custard.  Daddy had the hammer breaking up the big block of ice.  My sister was just hanging around waiting.  Momma put the can in the freezer, Daddy lined it up and hooked the latches on the handle.  Here comes Momma with a glass of water looks at me as says, "The freezer is thirsty and need a drink of water." In goes water, ice and rock salt.  Daddy motions for my sister to come and turn the handle.  Stops me from putting in the ice as I might get my hand caught in the freezer gears.  I can hardly wait.  Here come Momma with a big bowl of peaches.  Everything stops, did Momma forget to put the peaches in the can?  Carefully cleaning the ice and rock salt from the top of the freezer and taking out some of the ice, it is ready to be opened.  Momma pours in the peaches and Daddy closes the can, replaces the handle and my sister starts to turn the can again.  Quickly, she looks at Daddy and said, "It will not turn for me."  Daddy tries and he moved the can a little bit.  Once again the top of the freezer is cleaned and the top of the can lifted, Momma takes a spoon and cleans the dasher and then hands it to me.  While I am licking away on the dasher, the plug is put in the top of the can, ice and salt is packed in the freezer and on top of the can.   The freezer is moved to a place in the shade and covered with the canvas.  It in now time  to cure the ice cream.

I really do not see any need for it to cure, the cream on the dasher was wonderful.  About the peaches,  Momma did not forget, she always added her fruit after the custard had frozen some.  The fruit will be blended in more evenly was her thoughts about this.

After lunch, my cousins came from the city, Momma's sister, loved to bake, she had a pound cake she made.  Another Aunt and her family brought a freezer of vanilla ice cream.  After everyone visited, the cake was cut into lots of slices put on plates and you were asked, "Peach or vanilla?" Being a child and knowing I had to wait for all the adults to be fed first I was hoping the peach would last until I was asked.  And by the way, all of the cousins who came to visit had to have their plates before me because they were company.  When I arrived with my hand held out saying "Peach."  Momma shook her head and said, "Only vanilla."  She told me not to pout because we would make another batch of ice cream.  I took the vanilla and headed off to eat my dessert, my sister called me.  "Come over here, bring your plate."  She had a place for me to sit beside her.  She started taking my plate from me, what is going on?  Smiling, she said, "I do not like peach ice cream but the can was getting low and I knew you wanted it.  Let me have your vanilla and here is peach for you."

Later in the day everything was cleaned and stored awaiting the next Sunday when we would make ice cream.  Everyone left and I decided to play a game with my sister.  She enjoyed playing Chinese Checkers and I thought it would be nice not win every game we played.

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