Introducing a new series today! I love working my way through cookbooks, so after I do, I’ll be sharing a few favorite tried-and-true recipes with my modifications here as the Cookbook Chronicles. Let me know if there are any cookbooks you’d like me to feature. Good eats and good times!
This summer’s ridiculously sweltering heat was the perfect time for me to forsake my oven and reacquaint myself with the ice cream maker I’ve had since college, and David Lebovitz‘s The Perfect Scoop was the perfect cookbook to have close at hand. Our freezers have been frequently and enthusiastically visited lately- every recipe we’ve tried has been on point.
Fresh Fig 
I made this ice cream (page 80) with gorgeous black mission figs from the farmers market. Somehow, the recipe yielded plenty to churn as well as fill half a dozen popsicles, and we weren’t complaining.
Golden plum with blackberry swirl 
I used super fragrant Golden Nectar plums in this ice cream (page 77) and it was the perfect balance of sweet and bright yet creamy. I subbed blackberries for raspberries in a lovely tart swirl (page 92) and it was scrumptious.
Basil stracciatella 
One of my favorite local creameries, Quenelle, does a yummy basil chocolate chip that inspired this. Creamy fresh basil ice cream (page 100) was streaked with semisweet Valrhona stracciatella (page 210). It made for incredible brownie sundaes, and I could barely keep from stealing bites of that not-too-sweet herbal-floral goodness when walking past the fridge.
Date, rum, and pecan
This ice cream (page 45) was probably David’s favorite batch. Trader Joe’s spiced pecans were the perfect choice here. Trini to the bone, I used generous lashings of Angostura 7 Year, and it was beautifully boozy with a creamy gelato-like texture.
Despite the calendar, we still have a good bit of SoCal summer ahead of us, and I have a pretty good feeling it will include toasted almond and candied cherry (page 60) and malted milk (page 51) ice creams.
Cheers to amazing ice cream and indian summer!
loveRavayna