Fourth of July Lemon Velvet Ice Cream

On the fourth of July, we always have the family over and celebrate the event by over-eating.  Our favorite dessert has become Lemon Velvet Ice Cream.  It is light and crisp, with a sweet tang of lemon.  It cleanses the palate and is very simple to make.  Of course, it's a lot better if you don't have to crank it yourself.  Many years ago, Charlotte's grandfather, who was a poor, hen-pecked old man, gave me this recipe.  He said we were kindred spirits and destined to live similar lives.  I had no idea how perceptive the old man was. 

Required ingredients:

A one gallon ice cream freezer, preferably a White Mountain hand-crank model

Juice of six or eight lemons, about one cup

Four cups of sugar

I/2 to ¾ gallons of whole milk

At least one teen-age grandson—two is better.  A teen-age granddaughter is not necessary, but is decorative.

Night before--Squeeze and strain lemon juice.  Mix lemon juice and four cups sugar in a large bowl and stir to dissolve.  Allow to sit overnight, stirring occasionally.  Sugar will settle and harden.  Stir to keep the mixture liquid and to allow the lemon juice to dissolve the sugar.  The juice will never completely dissolve the sugar, but a heavy syrup will result, with a sugar sediment.  Simply stir it up and add milk when ready to mix.

About Four in the afternoon of the fourth of July, blend the lemon/sugar mixture with enough whole milk to fill the freezer can to the full mark for a one gallon, hand-cranked ice cream freezer.  Electric freezers with plastic buckets will work for about two weeks, or three batches of ice cream, whichever comes first.  I use a White Mountain hand-crank unit that I bought at Wagner Hardware on Kirby Drive in Houston.  It is 37 years old and counting.  It works fine.

Assemble the  ice cream freezer and start one grandson to cranking.  Second grandson begins to add alternate layers of ice and rock salt, while grandson number one cranks away.

When grandson number two has filled the freezer with ice to capacity, and first grandson is cranking away, fold a thick towel or other cushion and place on top of freezer, which will allow decorative granddaughter to place her lovely south end on top of freezer, to anchor and stabilize the operation.  Allow grandsons to alternate cranking, and, in less than thirty minutes, both grandsons will be tired and the Lemon Velvet Ice Cream will be finished.  Remove dasher and allow the ice cream to steep in the brine until after supper—smoked pork ribs and potato salad are good---then serve Lemon Velvet in adequate bowls with big spoons and ginger snap cookies on the side.  For the time being, contemplate the joys of celebrating the Fourth in Texas and ignore the cares of the outside world.

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