Celebrating in the Wundergarten: Cultivate Cullman ice cream

“Never ask a woman who is eating ice cream straight from the carton how she’s doing.”

I LOVE WOMEN and one reason is because they invented ice cream freezers so commoners like me could enjoy homemade, frozen custard concoctions. Nancy Johnson in America and Agnes Marshall in England were the mothers of invention for hand-cranked ice cream freezers in the 1840s.

CULTIVATE CULLMAN ICE CREAM has been a summer Sunday afternoon tradition since the county’s founding in the 1870s. Colonel Cullmann would invite churchgoers to his home after the services, the Hauk Family Band would entertain, some would fan themselves and others would ice down the custard and crank until it was sweet and solidified.

Jesus Christ of Nazareth may have eaten ice cream. Persians in the Middle East have culinary records from 550 BC describing the use of ice houses and ice pools to produce frozen fruit sorbets.

Yesterday, a Sunday, my friend Tina and I were in Hanceville and it was hotter than the hinges of Hell. So, we looped through the Dairy Queen drive-thru and enjoyed a Blizzard. (Food tip: It’s not posted on their ordering kiosk, but ask for the Tropical Blizzard. It’s like a trip to the islands during a snowstorm.)

CULTIVATE CULLMAN ICE CREAM suggests hand-cranking these eight bowls of blizzard-y delight as you span the countryside:

COLD SPRINGS PUMPKIN ICE CREAM

Great pumpkins need water to grow big and sweet. Pumpkins have been harvested in the Cold Springs community since at least the 1880s, but have gotten even greater since Smith Lake was created.

(Source: delish.com)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ginger
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

1. The day before you plan to churn, freeze the bowl of your ice cream maker. Since your ice cream base will need to chill as well, we suggest making it the night before, too.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk together pumpkin puree, milk, and cream. When mixture begins to boil, remove from heat and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk brown sugar and egg yolks until pale and thick ribbons form, 3 to 4 minutes. (You could also use a hand mixer.) Whisking constantly, gradually add about half of hot pumpkin mixture to eggs, one ladle at a time, to warm mixture through. Pour mixture back into saucepan with remaining pumpkin mixture.
4. Return pan over low heat and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until mixture thickens, making sure the mixture never comes up to a simmer, about 4 to 5 minutes. To check if the mixture is done, coat the back of your wooden spoon with the mixture and swipe your finger through the mixture. If your finger leaves a clean line, your mixture is good to go—this will be at around 170°, if you’re using a candy thermometer.
5. When the custard is adequately thickened, stir in vanilla and spices. Strain into a large bowl and place over an ice bath. Let cool to room temperature, then cover and chill at least 3 hours, up to overnight.
6. When your custard is chilled and your ice cream maker bowl is frozen, churn ice cream according to manufacturer’s instructions, about 15 minutes, scraping sides occasionally. When ice cream is soft-serve consistency, transfer to another container and freeze until hardened, 2 to 3 hours, up to overnight.

CULLMAN BANANA PUDDING ICE CREAM

Cullman Banana Supply provided local links to banana trees and coconut palm fruits for decades. When I stroll through the charming shops of the Warehouse District, I still think of enticing aromas and peddlers loading up for deliveries they would make throughout the countryside. Today, Johnny’s BBQ is a great “go-to” for fresh, delicious banana pudding.

(Source: allrecipes.com)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 medium very ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 cup crushed vanilla wafers

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine half-and-half, both sugars, and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat; cook and stir until sugars are dissolved, about 5 minutes.
2. Remove from the heat and transfer 1/2 of the hot mixture to a large bowl. Add eggs to the bowl and whisk until well combined. Pour mixture back into the saucepan. Stir in cream.
3. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until mixture is thickened and coats the back of a spoon, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla.
4. Pour cream mixture over a fine mesh sieve into a bowl; cool to room temperature.
5. Stir mashed bananas into cooled cream mixture, then pour into an ice maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. Fold crushed wafers into ice cream during the last 5 to 10 minutes of freezing.

FAIRVIEW ROSE ICE CREAM

I started elementary school in the Baileyton community. The banks along the winding country roads in that part of Cullman County have sweeping arcs of fragrant wild roses. The views are indeed beautifully fair and the scents are sweetly swoon inducing. This ice cream reminds me of the scent of roses at a Baileyton School graduation ceremony.

(Source: food52.com)

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups whole milk
• 3 cups heavy cream, divided
• 1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/4 cup dried roses, or
• 1 1/2 cups fresh rose petals
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• 2-4 tbsp. rosewater

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the milk, 2 cups heavy cream, roses (if using), 1 cup sugar, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
2. Just before the milk bubbles, remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 1 hour
3. Whisk the egg yolks, remaining sugar, and cornstarch together until pale and thick
4. Reheat the milk until just before it boils, then temper the egg mixture by adding 1/2 a cup of the milk while whisking. Repeat the tempering process, then pour the yolks into the rest of the milk and combine.
5. Set a sieve over a bowl with the remaining cold cream in it. (I like to place a nut milk bag over the sieve to catch the small bits of egg and rose)
6. Cook over a medium-low heat for a couple minutes until thickened and almost boiling, then lower the heat down and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes until thickened. Pour through the sieve, and push through any remaining liquid, then stir it together with the rose water. If you steeped the milk with the roses, add 2 tbsp. rose water. If you didn’t, add 4.
7. Chill the mixture for 4 hours or overnight, then churn according to your manufacturer’s instructions. If desired, freeze for 2 hours to harden.
8. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, just put the custard into a container and freeze for 4-6 hours, stirring every 15-30 minutes. The texture won’t be the same, but it will taste great!

GOOD HOPE STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM

The Good Hope area is a very good source for fresh strawberries. Cullman County has a rich heritage of strawberry farming. In the folktale, “WUNDERGARTEN,” which is set in the 1870s in these pine-studded hills, the heroine, Frau Ruehl, plants and plucks the German strawberries from seeds she brought from her homeland.

(Source: thespruceeats.com)

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced and diced
• 4 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 2 3/4 cups heavy cream
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium bowl combine the strawberries with the lemon juice and 1/2 cup of the sugar. Gently stir. Let stand at room temperature to allow the strawberries to release their juices, about 2 hours.
2. Strain the berries, reserving the accumulated juices.
3. Divide the berries in half. Mash or puree half of the berries and set aside. Refrigerate the remaining cut berries—they will be added later.
4. In a medium bowl, combine the milk and the remaining 1 cup of sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
5. Stir in the heavy cream, the reserved strawberry juice, the mashed strawberries, and the vanilla extract. This ice cream will have a natural appearance of a very pale pink. If a deeper pink hue is desired, add a few drops of red food coloring.
6. Churn the ice cream according to the manufacturer’s directions, about 20 to 25 minutes.
7. 5 minutes before churning time ends, add the reserved sliced strawberries and mix until well combined. If using a small ice cream maker, add the reserved berries to an airtight, freezer-safe container with the churned ice cream. Gently stir until well combined.
8. Freeze for at least 2 hours to firm before scooping and serving.

HANCEVILLE BLACK WALNUT ICE CREAM

(Source: themidwestkitchenblog.com)

I’m not sure why anyone in driving distance of the Hanceville Drugstore would want to crank their own Black Walnut ice cream when the hand-dipped cones at the shop are scrumptious, but here is a recipe that can approximate the delicious taste.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 5 egg yolks
• 3/4 cup cane sugar
• 3/4 cup black walnuts, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Chill your ice cream bowl for at least 24 hours before starting.
2. In a medium-sized pot add the heavy cream, whole milk, salt and vanilla extract. Mix together. Heat the milk/cream mixture until it starts to steam, but not boiling or simmering. This will take about 10 minutes.
3. While you are waiting for the milk/cream mixture to warm up, start separating your eggs. The easiest way to separate the egg yolks from the whites is to crack the whole egg into one bowl. Using your hands, gently scoop out the yolk. Allow the egg whites to fall down into the bowl through your fingers. Then add the egg yolk into a large mixing bowl. Repeat with the other 4 eggs.
4. Next, add the sugar. Whisk until the egg mixture becomes pale yellow in color and light and fluffy in texture with a silky ribbon consistency (3 -5 minutes). This mixture will be chunky at first but keep whisking until smooth.

Temper the eggs:

1. Pour 2 cups of your warm milk mixture into a measuring cup. Add a few tbsp. of the milk to the egg mixture, then whisk to combine. Slowly add milk while whisking until you’ve added 1/2 cup then pour the rest into the bowl.
2. Next, pour your egg/milk/cream mixture back into the pot, whisking in the remaining milk in the pot. Cook this mixture on low heat until the ice cream base has thickened a little and has reached a temperature between 170F and 175F degrees, mixing occasionally. You don’t want this mixture to boil. The ice cream base will look creamy and will start to steam. This will take about 20 minutes.
3. Once your mixture is up to temperature, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve or strainer into a large mixing bowl, to remove any egg chunks.
4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Allow the ice cream mixture to cool on the counter for 2 hours, then transfer it to the refrigerator to cool completely for another 2-4 hours.

Churning:

1. Churn your ice cream base according to your ice cream machine’s instructions. Your ice cream should look soft, fluffy, and incredibly creamy, like soft-serve ice cream. This usually takes about 20 minutes. Add in the chopped black walnuts. Allow the machine to mix everything together for 1-2 minutes.
2. Transfer your homemade black walnut ice cream into freezer-safe containers to freeze completely (6-8 hours).
3. Serve with homemade whipped cream or topped with chopped black walnuts. Enjoy!

HOLLY POND EGG CUSTARD GELATO

(Source: foodnetwork.com)

Cullman County is #1 in poultry and egg farming in Alabama, a great state for agriculture. Holly Pond has more chickens than it does either holly or ponds. This is one of the most popular flavors in the legendary “gelateries” of Italy. It is a rich, frozen custard, simply conjured without any flavorings.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 /4 cups whole milk
• Pinch of salt
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 6 egg yolks
• 2/3 cup heavy cream

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and salt. Heat the milk over medium heat until bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Set aside and cover to keep hot.
2. In a blender or food processor, blend the sugar and egg yolks together until very thick and smooth. With the machine running, gradually add the hot milk. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of the spoon. Remove the pan from heat and set it in a bowl of ice water. Stir for 2 minutes to cool the mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, or until thoroughly chilled.
3. In a deep bowl, beat the cream until soft peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the custard mixture. Transfer to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

VINEMONT WINE SLUSHY

(Source: tastyeverafter.com)

The Vinemont community during the days of the “WUNDERGARTEN” folktale, the 1870s, had many, rolling acres of wine-producing grapes. This recipe, which has no dairy ingredients, is not technically an “ice cream.” It’s more like German, ice wine, Eiswein. However, these last days of summer are hot and this is one of the easiest cooling indulgences ever.

INGREDIENTS

• 12 ounces of the wine of your choice
• 2 wine glasses

DIRECTIONS

1. Pour wine in ice cube trays. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.
2. Take wine cubes out of tray and place in a blender. Pulse a few times until wine cubes are crushed up and of a slushie-like consistency.
3. Divide slushy between 2 wine glasses and cheers!

WEST POINT CARAMEL APPLE ICE CREAM

(Source: allrecipes.com)

This recipe would be divine with Steele Orchard apple chunks cooked in butter with a drizzle of apple cider and blended with apple pie spice.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups finely chopped, peeled cooking apples (ask the experts at Steele Orchard)
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 cup apple cider
• 3/4 tsp. apple pie spice or ground cinnamon
• 1 (14 ounce) can Eagle Brand sweetened, condensed milk
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half cream
• 1/3 cup Smucker’s Caramel Flavored Topping

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook apple in melted butter in a large skillet over medium heat until tender, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in apple cider and apple pie spice; cover and simmer 5 minutes.
2. Whisk sweetened condensed milk and cream in a medium bowl until well blended. Stir in apple mixture. Fill a large bowl about halfway with ice cubes and very cold water. Set the medium bowl containing ice cream mixture inside the large bowl. Stir until very cold, about 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Spread in an 8- or 9-inch square pan. Cover and freeze until firm, about 3 hours. Scoop ice cream and mound in pan. Drizzle caramel topping over entire surface, allowing caramel to seep into ice cream. Pack ice cream back into the pan. Cover and freeze until ready to serve.

“THE ONE-LINER DO-GOODER DINER” ICE CREAM LAFFS

• I’ve already had one ice cream today, so this is my secondairy.
• I love all types of ice cream. I don’t play flavorites.
• I know a lot about ice cream. I’ve spent years in sundae school.

HAPPY LABOR DAY WEEKEND and AUF WIEDERSEHEN Y’ALL!

Find all columns in this series at www.cullmantribune.com/tag/celebrating-in-the-wundergarten.