Comments on: Lady Liberty Takes An Ice Cream Break

By: Eszter

Eszter — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 21:17:41 +0000

Hei Anna, kokeilen sitten ehdottamaasi pussiteemenetelmää. mutta ensin ohjelmassa on perheen kuopuksen ensimmäisen synttärin kakku. Ja siihen tarkoitukseen kun vihreä tee ei ihan sovi. Nuoret ovat niin kiinni vanhoista tottumuksista…

By: Anna

Anna — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 00:17:09 +0000

Hi Mustekala, I haven’t come across green tea ice cream in Helsinki, but then I’ve been gone for the most part of last three years. I served this very batch to my friends and I think it was their first - let’s hope restaurants in Helsinki steal the idea, it is a wonderful palate-cleanser…

Eszter, to you I will speak Finnish: kiitos taas käynnistä! Lähisupermarkettini taitaa vähän fuskata itse valmistamansa amerikkalaisille suunnatun vihreä tee -sorbettinsa kanssa. Väri on hyvin kalpea ja maku melkein aniksinen. Melkeinpä luulen että jos hauduttaisi paria kolmea teepussia tavallista vihreää teetä (tai Twiningsin Green Tea & Mint tai Green Tea & Jasmine -sekoituksia, jos niitä löytyy paremmin) desilitrassa kuumaa vettä ja korvaisi sillä maccha-sekoituksen, päätyisi heidän jäätelöönsä, joka on todella raikasta. Macchan maku tuo osalle ihmisistä mieleen vastaleikatun ruohon ja siksi kaikki eivät hirveästi sille lämpene…

By: Eszter

Eszter — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 20:56:29 +0000

It’s a small world for green tea ice cream lovers! Chili&Vanilla writes about having tasted green tea ice cream in NY and I’m wondering whether it’s a sorbet-type thing or more like a real gelato and here you give me the answer in no less than ten minutes. Now the world has to shrink a little bit more for me to be able to obtain matcha powder in Budapest. Perhaps it will… Whether it is a good thing or not, well, that’s a more philosophical queszion. Kiitos reseptistä, Anna!

By: mustekala

mustekala — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 19:52:36 +0000

Delightful notion about the color of the ice cream! The only time I tasted green tea ice cream was in Japanese restaurant in California something like 5 years ago. Now that you remind me of it, I remember really liking it. I wonder if the Japanese restaurants in Helsinki have it?

By: Anna

Anna — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 01:10:04 +0000

Ivonne, I’m not very surprised the Philips gave out. It’s a bit too flimsy and plasticky for my taste… Let’s hope you’ll find a great replacement. I’m sure you’ll use it so much that you should treat yourself to a gorgeous commercial stainless steel affair…

By: Ivonne

Ivonne — Sun, 26 Mar 2006 22:55:36 +0000

Anna,

You’re not going to believe this but the reason I need an ice cream maker is that our old model just gave up on us and it was a Philips! I’m looking for something a bit bigger, I’ll let you know what I end up buying.

And thank you for the invitation … when I get to NYC, I will most certainly give you a call!

By: Anna

Anna — Sun, 26 Mar 2006 02:09:23 +0000

Pille, I thought your adopted home country is a tea paradise… I lust after the tea selection of UK supermarkets, not to mention places like Whittard of Chelsea… Perversely, in NYC, I drink mellow black Irish Lyons Gold more than anything else. I’m sure it’s laced with crack, we even managed to hook my mother-in-law ;)

BTW, in Helsinki, Tokyokan on Annankatu carries tiny 30g jars of maccha.

By: Pille

Pille — Sat, 25 Mar 2006 17:34:07 +0000

Hi Anna - I have a) never been to New York (or anywhere in the US) and b) never had matcha in any shape or form. However, a Japanese friend of mine is due back in Edinburgh soon, and she’s promised to bring me some matcha powder, so I can give your ice cream a go!

By: Anna

Anna — Sat, 25 Mar 2006 00:10:46 +0000

Hi Ivonne
I love gelati - my favorite flavors are torroncino and lemon&white wine…

My ice cream maker is one of the very few things I’ve ever won - I got it as a prize from a recipe contest more than five years ago. It’s a Philips Delizia Duo, with a detachable flat freezing element and a fairly quiet electric motor. The pros: it’s easy to assemble, use, and clean; the freezing element does not take too much freezer space either, and freezing a quart takes about 25 to 45 minutes depending on your starting temperature. The cons: you have to freeze the element for 12-24 hours prior to use, and since you rely on the freezing power of the cold-absorbing gel, the ice cream maker works best if you pre-cool whatever you are going to freeze. Also, it only makes maybe 1-1.5 quarts of ice cream at one go, and is not powerful enough for several successive batches.

In summary, this model works well for home use. But if you wish to make large quantities fast or will use your gelatiera nearly every day, go for a more industrial model (unfortunately, they tend to be really expensive). In any case, I’d definitely check ebay first for all those unwanted wedding presents!

Let’s hope you get a chance to travel to NYC soon - let me know when you are coming and I will introduce you to Dominican snocone vendors who will flavor shaved ice with jewel-bright homemade fruit syrups!

By: Ivonne

Ivonne — Fri, 24 Mar 2006 15:48:16 +0000

Anna,

You and your brother are both such lovely writers! And you must be uniques in blog world because you’re probably the only sister/brother team with a food blog.

I have yet to see New York and your post only adds to my desire to visit.

As for the ice cream, the moment that there is even the slightest indication of warmer weather and I already begin dreaming of ice cream and gelato. I have clipped and saved your recipe!

May I ask what ice cream maker you use? I’m in the market for one and am looking for referrals.

All the best!