I Really Needed That

It's the height of summer. Time to play outside, fun in the sun. Time for bright smiles, laughter, and lots of sunscreen. It's just that I haven't been feeling any of it. I didn't plan on talking about it here because this is supposed to be my happy place, but it's been hanging over me like a cloud and I can't seem to think about anything else—I was laid off from my day job three weeks ago. It makes me want to retreat inside and close all the blinds. It makes me worry and fret. It makes me feel guilty and inadequate and fills me with self-doubt, like so many others in the same situation right now. It makes me want to hide.

And I have been hiding.

Until the cherries beckoned. They ripened a month later than usual, but they were ready just when I needed them. So my ever-supportive husband packed me up in the car, and we drove into the Gorge for a day of bike riding and cherry picking.


I really needed that. The fresh air and exercise did me good. The big hug from the owner of the cherry orchard did me even better.


We had a picnic lunch in her garden surrounded by the most beautiful scenery.


By the time we started filling our baskets and bellies with cherries, I was feeling—dare I say—joyous again. The festive atmosphere from the hundreds of glittering streamers, hung on the trees to ward off the birds, helped cheer me up.


As did watching the silly goats munch on their share of the cherries.


Sometimes we all need a reminder of how sweet life is. Mine happened to come in the form of twenty-five pounds of ripe cherries.


That one day in the countryside was like a much-needed vacation. It's still tough some days and hard to find reasons to be hopeful. But one smile at a time. My creativity and inspiration are slowly coming back to me and so is my desire to get in the kitchen and cook. I think it's time to look for the next opportunity. Wish me luck—I'll be needing it.


Cheery Cherry Ice Cream
Printable Recipe

12 ounces cherries, pitted and quartered
1 cup sugar
2 ½ cups milk
6 large egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon Kirsch
1/8 teaspoon almond extract

Combine the cherries and ¼ cup of the sugar in a small pot and let macerate, stirring occasionally, for 25 to 30 minutes, or until soft and juicy. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, or until tender. Chill over an ice bath until ice-cold.

Meanwhile, bring the milk to a bare simmer in a small, heavy saucepan. Whisk together the yolks and remaining ¾ cup of sugar in a large bowl. Continue whisking while adding the hot milk in a thin stream. Place the bowl with the yolk mixture over a medium pan of simmering water, and heat, whisking constantly, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Immediately strain through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl and whisk in the cream, Kirsch, and almond extract. Chill over an ice bath until ice-cold. Transfer to an ice cream maker and churn until frozen. With the motor running, add the cherry mixture in a thin stream. Transfer to a container and freeze for 4 to 6 hours before serving.

Makes about 2 quarts. If your ice cream maker doesn't have an opening for adding mix-ins, transfer 1/3 of the ice cream to a container, drizzle with ½ of the cherry mixture, and repeat layering with the remaining ice cream and cherries. For the best texture, enjoy within a day or two of churning.

Two-Hundredth Recipe!

Thanks for being here, dear reader. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your company. You kept reading, so I kept writing…And after two-and-a-half years at it, I've come to the two-hundredth recipe here on Hungry Cravings! That's right, I said Two! Hundredth! Recipe! And still counting!

I spent a lot of time thinking of a recipe that would be worthy of number 200. I knew it had to be big. Huge. Irresistible. Better than chocolate, even. And if there's any one thing that's better than chocolate, it's lemon. Nothing makes the taste buds feel alive like lemon. And now, dear reader, for the two-hundredth recipe…Drumroll please…May I present to you Frozen Meyer Lemon Mousse!


"I'm obsessed with lemons," I mused between bites of the mousse. To which my husband replied, "Yeah, anyone who's read the first 199 recipes would know."

Frozen Meyer Lemon Mousse
Printable Recipe

1 cup freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice
Grated zest of 2 Meyer lemons
¾ cup sugar
4 large egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream

Combine the lemon juice and lemon zest in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, or until fragrant. Strain through a fine mesh sieve. Return the lemon juice to the pan and add the sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer until an instant-read thermometer registers 230˚F. When the sugar syrup is nearly ready, start whipping the egg yolks in a mixer fitted with a whip attachment. With the motor running on high, add the hot sugar syrup in a thin stream. Continue to whip on high until light and fluffy and cooled to room temperature. Whip the cream to soft peaks. Stir 1/3 of the cream into the yolk mixture, then fold in the remaining cream. Divide the mixture among 8 acetate-lined individual cake rings on a parchment-lined baking tray. Freeze for 4 to 6 hours, or until solid.

To unmold, transfer the frozen mousses to dessert plates. Slide off the cake rings and peel away the acetate.

Serves 8. This light and refreshing dessert is super puckery and not for the faint of tart. Good any time of year, but especially in the winter when citrus is in season. You will need about 6 large Meyer lemons for this recipe. If you don't have cake rings, simply make and serve the mousse in ramekins. Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream, if desired.

Prescription for a Perfect Summer Day

Sleep in late. A visit to the farm is the thing to do, just don't forget the sunscreen. Stroll through the rows of blueberry bushes, sampling as you go.


Perhaps have a leisurely picnic lunch.


Watch the chickens scratch.


If you approach slowly, they may not scatter.


Relish the sweetness of the berries, warmed by the sun. For every raspberry that goes into your basket, one goes into your mouth. Find the biggest tree and lounge in the shade.


Follow the snake of trained blackberry vines.


You will be rewarded with the first ripe blackberry.


Then cool down with homemade frozen yogurt.


Hurray for summer.

Nectarine-Raspberry Swirl Frozen Yogurt
Printable Recipe

3 nectarines, pitted and quartered
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups plain yogurt
4 ounces raspberries
1 ½ teaspoons Chambord
½ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Combine the nectarines, ¼ cup of the sugar, and 2 tablespoons water in a small pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, or until tender. Puree in a food mill using a fine disc. Let cool to room temperature and stir in the yogurt. Chill over an ice bath until ice-cold.

Meanwhile, puree the raspberries in a food mill using the finest disc. If the puree has seeds, strain it through a fine mesh sieve to remove them. Stir in the Chambord, lemon juice, and remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar. Chill over an ice bath until ice-cold.

Transfer the nectarine mixture to an ice cream maker and churn until frozen. With the motor running, add the raspberry mixture in a thin stream. Serve immediately or transfer to a container and freeze.

Makes 1 generous quart. A refreshing and fairly guilt-free treat. Peaches may be substituted for the nectarines, and blackberries may be substituted for the raspberries. If your ice cream maker doesn't have an opening for adding mix-ins, transfer 1/3 of the nectarine frozen yogurt to a container, drizzle with ½ of the raspberry swirl mixture, and repeat layering with the remaining frozen yogurt and raspberry swirl. For the best texture, enjoy as soon as possible after churning. This frozen yogurt will harden in the freezer; soften it by tempering it in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes before scooping.

Minted Black Currant Sorbet

I didn’t think there was such a thing as too much dessert. But with summer in full swing and my complete inability to resist the season’s glorious fruit and berries, we have reached the limit around here. The two of us simply have not been able to keep up with all of the goodies I’ve been inspired to whip up. I have resorted to throwing dinner parties, not for the company but for the extra mouths to feed, sending sweets with the husband to work, and simply giving it away. And my freezer’s still stuffed full of desserts and their various components.

So when I was considering what to make with the rest of the incredibly ripe black currants from our very own currant bush before they went bad, I knew it had to be something that would keep until we had room in our bellies. (And until the husband returned from his business trip to Taiwan—after all, I didn’t want to have to eat all of it by myself!) My solution? Sorbet, of course! I made the sorbet and froze it without even bothering to churn it. Yesterday I thawed out the giant popsicle and churned it. Why all the freezing and refreezing? I love to eat homemade sorbet the day it’s churned, when the texture is at its best. The timing couldn’t have been better—we had a record high of 106 degrees yesterday, and the refreshment was desperately needed.


Minted Black Currant Sorbet
Printable Recipe

2 pounds black currants
1 ½ cups sugar
½ cup packed mint leaves
1 cup water
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Puree the currants in a food mill using the finest disc. If the puree has seeds, strain it through a fine mesh sieve to remove them. Combine the sugar, mint, and water in a small saucepan. Heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and let cool. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and stir in the currant puree and lemon juice. Chill over an ice bath until ice-cold. Transfer to an ice cream maker and churn until frozen. Transfer to a container and freeze for 4 to 6 hours before serving.

Makes about 1 ½ quarts. A good sorbet is always refreshing, but the mint makes this one even more so. A small scoop would make a fantastic palate cleanser between courses in a rich meal. Another serving idea: Frozen Kir Royales.

Strawberry Ice Cream and the Giveaway Winner

After all I went through to get my flat of u-pick strawberries this season, I was bound and determined to make the most of every single berry. The husband requested I turn some of them into ice cream, and that’s exactly what I did. Oh, what a sweet week it’s been—I ate more than my fill of strawberries every single day!


And now, drum roll please! It’s time to announce the giveaway winner. Lone Acorn has won the set of 6 mini brioche tins! Lone Acorn, please email me at lvaserfirer(at)yahoo(dot)com with your address so that I can send you your prize. Thanks to everybody who commented on Intrigued by Tonka Beans and a Giveaway. Interestingly, it seems like most commenters would be willing to give those illicit tonka beans a try. We’re definitely an adventurous group!


Strawberries & Cream Ice Cream
Printable Recipe

12 ounces strawberries
2 ½ cups milk
6 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Puree the strawberries in a food mill using a fine disc. Bring the milk to a bare simmer in a small, heavy saucepan. Whisk together the yolks and sugar in a large bowl. Continue whisking while adding the hot milk in a thin stream. Place the bowl with the yolk mixture over a medium pan of simmering water, and heat, whisking constantly, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Immediately strain through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl and whisk in the strawberry puree, cream, and vanilla. Chill over an ice bath until ice-cold. Transfer to an ice cream maker and churn until frozen. Transfer to a container and freeze for 4 to 6 hours before serving.

Makes about 2 quarts. For the best texture, enjoy within a day or two of churning.

Hundredth Recipe!

Here it is dear readers, recipe number 100 on Hungry Cravings! I just celebrated my first blogiversary a couple of weeks ago, and now I’ve reached another milestone—the triple digits! All in just over one year! I mean 100 recipes—that’s enough to fill an entire cookbook. But there’s a whole lot more where that came from, and I feel like I’ve only just begun!

So I thought that for nice, big round number like 100, I need something really memorable. Something intense and indulgent. Something completely over the top. Something chocolate, of course! Because I always celebrate with chocolate. Readers, for each and every one of you, I have a smile, a warm hug, and a bowlful of my hundredth recipe, Dark Chocolate Ice Cream.


Enjoy!


Dark Chocolate Ice Cream
Printable Recipe

7 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped or 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 ½ cups milk
6 large egg yolks
¾ cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Place the chocolate into a medium bowl, place the bowl over a medium pan of simmering water, and heat, stirring frequently, until melted. Bring the milk to a bare simmer in a small, heavy saucepan. Whisk together the yolks and sugar in a large bowl. Continue whisking while adding the hot milk in a thin stream. Place the bowl with the yolk mixture over the pan of simmering water, and heat, whisking constantly, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Immediately strain through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl and whisk in the chocolate, cream, and vanilla. Chill over an ice bath until ice-cold. Transfer to an ice cream maker and churn until frozen. Transfer to a container and freeze for 4 to 6 hours before serving.

Makes about 2 quarts. For the best texture, enjoy within a day or two of churning.

Spring's in Full Swing and Rhubarb Sorbet

The sun is shining, the tulips are all blooming, and birds are singing. It’s glorious out. The farmers market has already been open for a month, overflowing with lush greens, leeks, and radishes. But to me it doesn’t quite feel like spring until the rhubarb comes. I don’t know if it’s the brilliant red color or the fact that it always makes me think of berries, but somehow only rhubarb can confirm that spring’s really here. Last week, the rhubarb finally made its first appearance at the farmers market. I picked out four of the fattest stalks.


It seems like rhubarb is always paired with strawberries. Well, Oregon strawberries are only starting to flower now and still a month or two away, so that wasn’t an option. And besides, I wanted to taste the rhubarb all by itself. I figured a Rhubarb Sorbet would be perfect.


And it was perfect. As it happened, a friend invited us over for breakfast the next morning. She said that she would make waffles, and I said that I had the perfect topping. Breakfast was divine—crispy waffles hot from the griddle topped with Rhubarb Sorbet (between the four of us we ate nearly the entire batch) and whipped cream. By coincidence, there was also homemade strawberry freezer jam, I guess rhubarb and strawberries are just meant to be together. Spring is definitely in full swing.

Rhubarb Sorbet
Printable Recipe

2 cups water
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 pound rhubarb, diced
1 large egg white

Combine the water, sugar, and rhubarb in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, or until tender. Let cool slightly and puree in a food mill using a fine disc. Chill over an ice bath until ice-cold. Whisk in the egg white. Transfer to an ice cream maker and churn until frozen. Transfer to a container and freeze for 4 to 6 hours before serving.

Makes about 1 ½ quarts. The egg white gives the sorbet a fluffy texture. If you’re uneasy about eating raw eggs, omit it or use pasteurized eggs.

Too Much

Now I have so much fruit I don’t know if we can eat it fast enough. So I’ve been dreaming up some yummy ways to make it keep. Like freezing it.


Peaches & Cream Popsicles
Printable Recipe

4 large peaches, peeled, pitted, and diced
½ cup crème fraîche
¼ cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Divide among 12 popsicle molds and insert handles. Freeze overnight, or until solid.

To unmold, run warm water over the mold for a few seconds and pop the popsicles out. Serve right away.

Makes 12 popsicles. Use juice cups and popsicle sticks if you don’t have popsicle molds. Also delicious with strawberries instead of peaches.