Sunday, July 17, 2011

Ice Cream for ALL

Summer would not be summer without ice cream. Ice cream has the power to wow you with it's creamy and smooth texture. Add some fruit, nuts or chocolate it's everyones favorite go to dessert. Well, not everyone. If you are lactose intolerant you may look with envy as friends eat their chocolate cones, because you can not eat milk products. But, wait there is goat milk and if you a ice cream maker you can make your own.



Goat's milk is more easily digestible than cow's milk. It is little more expensive and sometimes hard to find, but for ice cream lover's that are lactose intolerant, it is worth the money and search.


A friend of mine who is lactose intolerant was visiting this month so I decided to whip up a batch of goat cheese ice cream. It was super good with just the right amount of sweetness and tang you would except from goat cheese. So, if you have passed on ice cream in the past due to your milk free diet, pick up some goat milk and cheese and give it a spin in your ice cream maker. Don't have a maker. Buy or borrow one. It will be worth it.
x


Goat Cheese Ice Cream
2 ½ cups goats milk
½ cup sugar
4 oz goat cheese
4 egg yolks



Warm milk and sugar in a saucepan. Whisk egg yolks in a large bowl. Pour milk over egg yolks and return back to the saucepan. Simmer until thickened. Crumble cheese in a large bowl. Pour custard through a mesh strainer over cheese. Stir until cheese has melted. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Freeze in ice maker according to manual. Enjoy!



July is National Ice Cream Month

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Licorice, love it or hate it

The word licorice immediately brings to mind black chewy candy. The flavor is one of a kind. But, is it really? That flavor we call licorice can also be associated with anise, star anise, fennel and coriander. When you describe any of the above flavors you usually say “it taste like licorice.” Let's break all the this down, one herb at a time.


Licorice is a very powerful plant. The root of the plant, Glycyrrhiza glabra, is extracted and used for many medicinal uses, such as calming coughs and relieving constipation. Excessive consumption can be toxic to the liver and cardiovascular systems. The word licorice means sweet root. Anise, fennel and coriander are all herbs which are part of Apiaceae family. Apiaceaes are aromatic plants with hollow stems. Star anise are the seeds from a evergreen tree, Illicium Verum, grown in Asia. They all have very similar flavors which we refer as “licorice like”.

I personally love all things with a licorice flavor. But, I have come to find out that most people either love it or hate it. Why? Why do people shun fish or lima beans? Well, lima beans are just bland, that's why. Now, fish needs to be fresh. People with aversions to fish have probably eaten not so fresh fish. All things licorice flavor are sweet, delicate and sometimes black or red (in the case of licorice candy). So, what's not to like? Maybe they had stale licorice when they where kids and they have block all licorice tasting foods from their tastebuds. Ahh, what a shame!


July 2 is Anisette Day