Home for the Holidays

How can I describe the pleasure of having all my girls home for the holidays? What else would I do but cook for them?

Starting on Saturday with chocolate chip and Swedish “S” cookies we moved quickly to dinner and a roast filet of beef with potatoes served with a fresh green salad, kale in Parmigiano and pear tatin and French custard ice cream.

Did I mention I received an industrial quality, Italian ice cream freezer for Christmas? Can I possibly overstate the new world opened up to me and all my expanding friends? In the past we’ve used cheap, freeze-the-bowl, then get crappy ice cream makers. Discouraged by the results – a combination of icy, crusty and unappealing slurp – I had abandoned the ice cream dream. With the new machine, right out of the gate I made the best ice cream I’ve ever tasted. Using the same recipe of basically cream, milk, sugar, egg yolks and vanilla bean, I made a smooth, creamy, satiny batch of pure vanilla frozen custard. The machine arrived with an extensive collection of recipes. I’m so looking forward to caramel, fresh peach, peppermint and green tea. I’ll also try sorbets, gelatos and anything else freezable.

Anyway, back to the girls. On Sunday I started the tamales and finished them Tuesday. I didn’t go overboard and just made two types – Green chile and cheese and carnitas con chile Colorado. I maxed out at about five dozen so we’ve very few left over. Sorry.

I can’t keep my girls home. But I can always get them to come back. Now, how am I going to send Hija ice cream at college?