Early Summer Indulgence

Was my last post really in February? How time flies!! I have come to a really wonderful realization and I wanted to share. I started this blog to see if it would be possible as a full-time working mom of 3 little boys to sustain a mostly locally sourced seasonal diet and the verdict is: you can. It's a lot of work, but very rewarding. The thing I find the most challenging? Finding the time to blog about it!!

I've had the wonderful opportunity to write my first guest blog post about coconut milk rhubarb ice cream here: http://www.lifeinpleasantville.com/category/suzy-homemaker/ Please check it out :)

With local farmer's markets now back for the season, I'm inspired to discover new flavours and share them with everyone!!


Rhubarb Ice Cream



2 cans of coconut milk (400 ml) - not light kind
2 cups chopped rhubarb
6 medium egg yolks or 4 large
2/3 cup sugar (divided) - note: you could also try 1/2 cup agave (divided) if avoiding refined sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 tsp cinnamon



Rhubarb compote



Chop rhubarb and place in saucepan with maple syrup, 1/3 cup sugar and cinnamon.
Heat on med-low until stewed, purée until smooth then transfer to a bowl and cool.

For the ice cream

Here is the coconut milk right from the can

Heat coconut milk on med-low until smooth then increase to medium and bring to just before boiling. Watch it closely, you don't want it to boil!

Here is the coconut milk warmed up and smooth

In a glass bowl, whisk egg yolks with remaining sugar until pale yellow.

Dark yellow yolks

Light yellow yolks

Temper the eggs. Basically what this means is whisk eggs with one hand while slowly pouring in about half the warm coconut milk, then pour the eggs back in the pot with the remaining coconut milk. Keep whisking until it's fully incorporated.

Heat until the mixture begins to thicken. It will not thicken like a dairy custard but will coat the back of a wooden spoon.



Prepare an ice bath. When the custard is ready, strain into a clean bowl and sit in ice bath. Whisk in rhubarb compote and chill for about 20 minutes.



Place some plastic wrap directly on the mixture and chill in the fridge for a few hours. You just want the mixture to be very cold. I've left it overnight, it's not a problem.

Before placing the custard in the ice cream machine, you'll need to give it a good whisk.

The mixture has separated a bit - no worries!

Churn according to manufacturer's instructions.

The hard part is the waiting!!

It will be soft when you remove it from the machine so transfer it to a container and freeze for about an hour. If it is frozen solid when you pull it from the freezer, let it sit for 5 minutes and it will be easier to scoop.

I served this ice cream in a waffle bowl topped with stewed strawberries. It would be delicious with strawberry shortcake!!

Taste tested: 5 kids, 4 adults, 10 thumbs up!!

A Year in Review, a Look Ahead

I know, I know, my blog isn't exactly 1 year old yet but hear me out. I started this blog to write about the challenges and successes of trying to source and feed my family local food while working full-time outside the house and keeping up with the hectic schedule of 3 little boys. I am fortunate enough to have the summer off from work and stay home with my boys so technically my blog year is September to June :). 


What did I learn this year? I learned that sourcing local food is possible but it requires a lot of meal planning, organization, taste adventures and money. 


Meal planning: I learned that when your fridge is full of parsnips, carrots and potatoes, you need to plan your meals around them as opposed to planning your meals and fitting them in.  Not doing this results in a large pile-up of root vegetables in the veggie drawer. 


Organization: CSA deliveries happen bi-weekly on Wednesdays. I have to remember to get the cooler outside with the blankets or ice blocks before I leave the house in the morning. So far I've only forgotten once and had to improv with corn for dinner since the frozen corn had thawed by the time I got home. It also means that if I need some meat I have to plan a Saturday around going to pick it up which adds to the errand-running time on my precious weekends. It can be done, but sometimes you have to give in to reality and pick up your groceries in one stop.


Taste adventures: Parsnips, mangels, lamb's quarters, beets, farmer's cheese... These all foods that I had never eaten before. Ok, well, I had eaten beets before, but never in ice cream form! Choosing to eat local and seasonal means much less variety on your plate in the dead of winter but with some planning there is always a jar of summer tomato sauce in the freezer or some frozen summer berries for dessert. My family now eats two meatless meals a week, sometimes three if there are leftovers. I'm very proud of my boys for trying all the frittatas I made and braving all my other culinary experiments!


Money: There is no question, living local and supporting local farms and businesses costs more money. But that's when you look at the value of your dollar and realise the impact of how you spend your dollars. You may recall my post on blueberries back in the winter when I was faced with a great bargain price of $5 for 3 quarts of off-season imported blueberries. Sometimes it makes sense to buy at a great price but most times I prefer to give my money directly to our farmers. 


Looking forward, here is the direction in which I would like this blog. I'd like to keep posting recipes that are seasonal and made with local produce, I'd like to keep my readers informed of my great local finds and I'd like to start writing about my lifestyle change away from dairy and sugar. 


That last one is not going to be easy. I love dairy and I love sweet but I've begun seeing a naturopath about ways to boost my immune system and this was his recommendation. We're starting with milk, cream and white sugar. Cream. As in ice cream. How ever will I survive the summer without ice cream? Well, here's a look at my first attempt at dairy free ice cream.


Coconut and Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream


2 cans coconut milk (not light) - definitely not local
3 tsps matcha green tea - also very far from local
1/4 cup of honey - local


Blend all ingredients with a hand mixer under smooth. Place in ice cream maker and churn for 30 to 40 minutes until well set. Transfer to freezer for about 3 hours. Serve. 


It will not be very sweet but it will certainly be refreshing!!