Gravel Roads and Blackberries / Camp Creek Blackberry Ice Cream Recipe
As the Summer sun sets and the first crisp breaths of Fall sneak up on us unexpectedly, I can't help but be reminded of my youth. Growing up in the Oregon countryside with all of its spectacular seasonal displays was a gift from above. Of course, a feisty teen doesn't exactly appreciate it at the time, but as an adult I am beyond thankful for my simple, farm-life heritage.
Gravel Roads and Blackberries... it's funny what you miss.
Blackberry Season.... August through the end of September brought a special kind of goodness that we all took for granted. Those pesky blackberry bushes grew wild like weeds and for most of the year they were a prickly, painful reminder of how much you needed to tend to your property line and get them under control..(We would put our goats to work - they ate anything). But come June...those white blossoms starting poking through and the emerging green berries brought promise of a bountiful harvest. August came and our little Camp Creek road became a roadside berry picking mecca. Buckets of berries falling off the bush. Fresh, tart and amazing.
It's kinda funny the goodness that comes from an untended 'weed'. Reminds me of people. (lol)
Cobblers, crisps, pies and jam. We did it all. But my favorite - in the late summer heat - Our Black Berry Ice Cream. My mom and dad had perfected homemade ice cream and the blackberry version will always be my favorite. We had an old wooden bucket ice cream maker...walking up to the house and hearing my dad whistling on the back porch with the ole' noisy ice cream maker whirling...salt, ice, salt... a special memory. Life was good.
I'm gonna share our awesome ice cream recipe with y'all. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do... turn off the phone, mash some berries and make some memories. It's what it's all about.
This is a custard based Ice Cream - Temper slowly - your results with be silky smooth frozen perfection.
Camp Creek BlackBerry Ice Cream
Ingredients:
2 Pints Fresh Blackberries, divided (never hurts to have more though)
1/2 Lemon, juiced.
1 1/4 C Sugar, divided
1 1/2 C Half & Half
1 1/2 C Heavy Whipping Cream
5 Whole Egg Yolks
Good Pinch of Salt
Preparation:
1. Place 1 1/2 pints of blackberries in medium saucepan with 1/4 cup sugar and lemon juice.
Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes until cooked down. Press berries through fine mesh sieve (strainer), pressing to extract juice and puree/pulp. Discard seeds. Set aside.
2. While berries are cooking, mash remaining 1/2 pint berries with masher or fork. Set aside.
Note: I like a little fresh chunk to my ice cream but this is totally a personal preference thing. If you want a completely smooth ice cream with no visible berry, skip this step and do not divide berries. Simply cook down all berries.
3. Dissolve 1 cup sugar in half & half in separate saucepan over low heat. Turn off heat when sugar is dissolved and mixture is totally heated.
4. Beat egg yolks (by hand or with mixer) until yolks are thick and a pale yellow. Temper the egg yolks by first slowly adding a small amount of the hot half & half mixture to the yolks and then slowly drizzling yolks mixture into the half & half mixture, whisking constantly until combined. Pour combined mixture into saucepan, cooking over low to medium-low heat until thick, stirring constantly. Should coat the back of a spoon completely.
5. Pour heavy cream into large bowl. Drain custard mixture through mesh into bowl with heavy cream. Stir to combine. Add blackberries (both mixtures) and stir.
6. Chill completely, then freeze in ice cream maker until thick and frozen. Place in container in freezer to harden for 2 additional hours.
There ya have it. Simple goodness. Enjoy...and don't forget to breathe in deep these last few moments of Summer. Fall's a coming!!
On the website, I have curated a couple of farmhouse items that take me back to those special berry picking days and I hope you'll think they are as amazing as I do.
The Intersection of Function & Style!
I'm not sure if I've come across a product that I love so much and am so impressed with. It exudes farmhouse charm and looks like it came right out of grandma's utensil crock. The two tone metal detailing of copper and brass give a very authentic vintage feel and the beautiful wooden handle looks like it was hand turned generations ago. I'm in love.
Farmhouse Perfection!
Adorable, right? We all have the favorite family member that makes the most perfect fresh pies - In my family, it was Grandma Limu and now my Aunt Mary and Aunt Annette are the designated pie makers... incredible. My family is famous for their pie consumption. It's almost embarrassing how quickly we go through them. This sign reminds me of those special family gatherings and the cherished memories I do not want to forget and hope to pass down to my own children. White metal with raised black lettering, this sign is 12" x 80" and sure to make a huge impact in any space. Click to view.
Useful enough for everyday but beautiful enough for display. As a bowl collector, this piece just makes me happy. This heavy duty berry colander is solid, beyond functional and beautiful. It is the perfect size! Not huge, but the perfect size for fruits and veggies. I love that its so pretty I can store on my open shelving instead of packing away in cupboards. Double duty for sure! Makes a great table centerpiece too. Click to view.
That's it for today. First blog post done! If anyone has any feedback, I sure would love to hear it.
I hope you all have a great week.
~Sam
