Old-Fashioned Strawberry Ice Cream
When most folks think about ice cream, they probably don't picture the White House during the War of 1812. But while our young nation was facing uncertainty, one dessert became the talk of Washington.
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As part of our America 250 Series, I wanted to recreate the strawberry ice cream served at President James Madison's inaugural ball in 1813. This recipe traces back to the early 1800s and is connected to a remarkable woman named Sally Shadd, a free Black caterer from Delaware whose strawberry ice cream impressed First Lady Dolly Madison enough to feature it at one of the most important events in the country.
Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream
The recipe itself is surprisingly simple. Fresh strawberries are mashed and strained to capture their juice, then mixed with cream, sugar, and a little lemon juice. The real magic comes from freezing it the old-fashioned way using ice and rock salt.
Instead of plugging in an electric ice cream maker, I used a chilled Dutch oven nested inside a tub packed with ice and salt. Every so often, I'd turn the Dutch oven and stir the mixture until it slowly transformed into rich, creamy strawberry ice cream.
Tip: A chilled Dutch oven holds cold just as well as it holds heat. Put it in the freezer before you start and you'll speed up the freezing process considerably.
Save the strained strawberries and spoon them over the finished ice cream for extra flavor and color.
After a few hours of patience, the result was some of the smoothest homemade ice cream I've ever tasted. It proves that sometimes the old ways are still the best ways.
If you're looking for a fun family project this summer, gather everybody around and make ice cream the way Americans did over 200 years ago. You'll make more than dessert. You'll make memories.
For the Election Cake recipe (shown with ice cream) click here.
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