Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream at Home
My husband and I have two cars, a house in Pennsylvania, a getaway near Bethany Beach, and a fur baby. The cars aren’t fancy. Each house is modest. But still, it’s a life I never dreamed I’d have. Five sofas between two houses? I mean, come on!
We’re DINKS, as they say—Dual Incomes, No Kids. Good incomes, but we’re not rich by any means. We can afford some extras. Like occasional travel to incredible places. Hawaii comes to mind. And we can set a dining table 30 different ways. Yes, we own turkey plates and platters for Thanksgiving. We’re gay, not barbarians.
Still, every day we’re feeling the pinch of rising costs and shrinking investments. I find myself more regularly reaching for store brands. And the plain cucumbers instead of the fancy English ones (currently three times more expensive). And Friday nights have morphed into finding a happy hour beer on tap.
It sounds cliché, but I’m truly sincere when I say, “I don’t know how families do it.” I grew up at the lower end of middle class. For a family of six on a carpenter’s salary we did okay. Although my young feet never experienced name-brand Pumas, I don’t remember wanting for much. Our parents were savvy at nurturing and entertaining us on a dime.
Sundays at state parks were a staple. We strolled amusement rides, but rarely rode them. We went to the Bloomsburg fair, but Mom fed us beforehand. There was the occasional unsolicited candy apple that we knew not to ask for. And on our annual trip to Atlantic City, Mom was proud to feed us solely from her rebate money. You had to be careful opening cereal at our house—it was likely the proof of purchase was already missing from the bottom of the box.
On a recent visit to Hershey Park (with tickets given to us by my husband’s company), I happened to speak with an adorable family. They looked to be having the time of their lives and the parents to be park experts. They were prepared in every way to make the most of their day with a stroller overflowing with everything from wet wipes to contraband juice drinks.
But what stood out was when they said that single day was their family vacation that year. That was it. No back and forth to Delmarva. No meet-ups at Aqua. No ocean. That day was everything to them. Meanwhile, I’m thinking we can come back to that park any time we want and not give it a second thought.
It makes me wonder. I hope the shore hasn’t become just for the Haves (and if you’re reading this in the heart of Rehoboth, it’s unlikely you are a Have Not).
But then again, how can the shore not become exclusive? A slice of pizza and a soda is more than handing your kid five bucks. Never mind the $7 fancy coffee or the $16 martini. And don’t get me started on the cost of a rental. Gone are the days of the fresh-out-of-college gays renting a house for the summer.
So this month I’m highlighting a cost-saving, make-at-home ice cream. It’s super easy and contains only five ingredients, all of which your fourth grader could spell. You and your family can eat this and then stroll the boardwalk for free. Or play Skee-Ball with the money you saved.
Let’s get started, shall we?
STEPS
- Whisk the following in a medium bowl just until the solids are dissolved: 1 cup very cold whole milk, ¾ cup sugar
- Stir in: 2 cups very cold heavy cream, ½ tsp peppermint extract
- Let this mixture churn in your ice cream maker for 25 to 30 minutes. In the last 5 minutes, add the following: ⅔ cup chilled miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Scoop into a covered container and freeze for a couple hours. Enjoy!
TIPS
- This is considered a Philadelphia-style ice cream because it doesn’t involve cooking a custard. Even without the eggs, I still find it satisfyingly rich and creamy.
- Be sure to use peppermint extract. Spearmint, or a blend of the two, will not taste right. A mistake I’ll never make again.
- Avoid overbeating the liquids to not incorporate too much air.
- If you don’t own an ice cream maker, don’t defeat the purpose of saving money by buying one. Ask around to borrow instead. We all have too many kitchen things collecting dust. Let me know if any of you want to borrow a chafing dish, or four. ▼
Ed and his husband Jerry split their time between homes near Harrisburg Pennsylvania and Bethany Beach. Ed builds websites to pay the bills but loves to cook, garden, hike, and dote on their dog Atticus. Recipe requests and feedback welcome: ed@seasalttable.com.