when i was a kid i tried not to lie. not necessarily because it’s wrong, but probably because i didn’t want to get caught in said lie. my little brother, ian, on the other hand pretty much lied when confronted about anything. i think it was just his first reaction…i mean, he’s not some crazy-lying-delinquent, not totally anyway (hehe).
anyway, since my brother lied often and poorly and was often the culprit of whatever he was accused of, it was easy…sometimes too much so…to frame up the blame on him. i know, i may be admitting that i was a master-manipulator as a child, but oh well. i swear i’m really nice and not trying to blame you for acts you may or may not have committed.
on with the story…
i used to mix up all sorts of potions in the bathroom, bathtub, the garden, garage, kitchen, sandbox…wherever. sometimes i would mix flour and water and make “pancakes” on the sewer cover in the middle of the street in front of our house. sometimes it would be my mother’s garden flowers mashed, shredded and steeped with water into a tea…that i would then feed my brother. sometimes i would just mix random things together, just to see, just because.
so, once i was mixing up some baby powder and water and every time i squeezed the bottle little poofs of powder would puff out. apparently i liked this effect, so i did that pretty much until the bottle was emptied. then i swept what was left on the counter into the sink and rinsed it down. well, mom came into the bathroom some time later to find a fine dusting of baby powder on every surface: toilet, mirrors, floor, and so on, except the sink. she confronted us, we both said we didn’t do it (of course) and she left us to decide who did it and who would clean it up.
i convinced my brother, with his forgetful memory, that maybe…just maybe he blacked out and did it. i told him that sometimes he forgot things and that is what likely happened…because you know, i never lied (ha! wink…) i then made up some (apparently) believable story that would prove my “black-out” theory…which i am sure had many holes in it, but i was preying on my less knowledgeable (at the time, argueable still…but he would probably negate that) younger brother, so it worked. anyway, long story shortened, he believed me and cleaned up the mess.
i did feel bad..as i often would in these situations of letting my brother take the blame. so, usually i would give him something or treat him to something as the guilt ate me up. usually that was some sort of candy or sweet treat. my brother isn’t a big fan of things chocolate…the kid can eat a costco package of airheads though in one sitting. he thrives on sugar and he prefers that sugar un-muddied by the likes of chocolate…except for two things chocolate: pie and ice cream. so, i guess you could say i made this ice cream for him…you know, because of the guilt.
…too bad he lives in southern utah. bet he could use some ice cream in that heat….is it hot there ian?
i’m trying out some bigger pictures…too big? what do you think?
chocolate ice cream
i adapted this recipe i found on use real butter. it’s real good. real good.
since i didn’t have heavy cream i used half and half. i think it would be even more tasty with cream…
2 cups half and half
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (i used valrhona)
5 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (or use chips, good ones)
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar ( i used vanilla sugar, since i had some)
pinch of salt
5 large egg yolks
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
in a medium saucepan bring 1 cup half and half to simmer with cocoa powder, whisking constantly. place chocolate in a large bowl and pour heated half and half mixture, stir until smooth. add remaining half and half.
place yolks in a medium bowl and whisk.
in the same saucepan heat milk, sugar, salt until just before boiling. remove from heat and temper yolks with the warm milk and sugar mixture. scrape custard back into the pan and heat over low, stirring constantly being sure to get into the corners of the pan, until mixture thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon (wipe your finger on the spoon and if the custard does not run into the track you should be good).
pour custard through a fine mesh strainer and mix into the chocolate mixture until well incorporated. cool completely and refrigerate to chill. process in ice cream machine according to manufacturer’s instructions.
LOL!!! Love this story! As the eldest child, I was always blamed for eeeeverything. My sister’s Big Blue Eyes of Innocence just won out over mine. 🙂
Oh, Cindy, we are TOO alike. I always did stuff like this to my little brother, and I was always making “potions,” too. I love to make “concoctions” from the ocean-drenched sand. Weird, I know. Annnyway, I once convinced my brother to race me in a milkshake drinking contest. He finished his milkshake in no time. However, he was quite sad when he realized that I hadn’t been racing and had my entire milkshake left (and his was gone). That was mean…
Anyway, this ice cream looks FANTASTIC. Yay for “guilty” baking. And I love the bigger pics! Maybe one day, we’ll team up and join daring bakers together 🙂
Oh man, I know what that guilt can do to you….the hours I’ve spent as a kid fixing all my brother’s toys just ‘coz I felt guilty for blaming something on him!
The photographs are big but gorgeous nonetheless!! Yummy!
yum yum yum.
Your pictures look great! That story sounds like something I would have done (or tried to do, my mom was really good at seeing through my lies) to my brother when we were growing up. Poor dude. Unfortunately we are so un-alike that he’s a Very Picky Eater; while I’m off mixing up lavender-kumquat-whatever concoctions in the kitchen he eats plain hot dogs and salted noodles. Yuck. So me “apologizing” via food wouldn’t really be appreciated as much.
MMMMM…Cindy!! This chocolate recipe ice cream looks delicious, rich & creamy! Yum Yum Yum!!
Love your story – so funny and anyone w/ younger siblings can relate!
I like the pics too – not too big at all.
I love your story. I used to make potions all the time as a kid. My best friend and I would even pretend we were hosting a television show and our concoctions were fancy drinks. Of course most of them had dish soap in them to give them bubbles. Now i just wish I had an ice cream maker.
Hmmm, I have a similar story though I spoke up when my brother started getting knocked out for lying aboout doing something. I did sorta set him up. 🙂 Funny though I got praised for speaking up and telling the truth. You would have thought the guys leanred from that but nope.
I like the larger pictures though maybe not quite so big. They are almost larger than the screen so I don’t see the whole thing without scrolling.
Happy holiday weekend!
~ingrid
This ice cream–chocolate!!!–is right up my alley. I’d go for the heavy stuff, too. Why not? If you’re going to indulge, INDULGE!
nope, pics are not too big–you know I love them big. perfect.
i finally bought an ice cream maker, look out world (and hips!)
Your Chocolate recipe looks soooooooo delicioso! What a inventive way.
thanks for sharing.
and you can visit me if i can visit you:)
foodcreate
Welcome!
Lol what a story! I liked making concoctions as a kiddo too, except mine usually consisted of dirt, not baby powder :P. I didn’t have a sibling growing up (until I was 12) so the only ones I’d get into trouble with were cousins (and the convinced me to eat one of my dirt pies!). Ah, memories :).
I’m sure your brother would love this refreshing summer treat — yum!
Great looking chocolate ice cream!
Haha what a funny story, and an even funnier non-apology to your brother 😉 Great ice-cream by the way. That second picture has me drooling.