Pistachio Ice Cream, As You Please

I had a delicious bowl of pistachio ice cream last night.   Jonathan made it, all by himself.  He shelled all the pistachios by hand, too.  Isn’t that sweet?

First, thank you again to Marisa for the ice cream maker which made this tasty treat possible!  For Christmas last year, she and Jonah gave each sister: a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker; a Reisenthel Market Basket filled with gourmet goodies like palm sugar, champagne vinegar, pure vanilla bean paste, and Italian herbed salt; AND a hand-typed collection of recipes in a russell+hazel binder, including Marisa’s very own Best Vanilla Ice Cream (which will have to make it’s public debut here on sisterfood sometime).  It was way over the top, thoughtful, generous, and stylish to the max - just like our sister Marisa!

All my sisters know that I love ice cream (I mean, I LOVE ice cream).  They have a story they like to bring up at opportune times, while laughing hysterically, about an instance when we were wee children.  I got up from the dinner table while everyone else was calmly finishing their ice cream and just helped myself to another bowl, without even asking.  I never understand why it’s so funny.  I just wanted some more ice cream - what is this, Oliver Twist?  I don’t remember even getting in trouble, but my sisters were cracking up.  I guess they were shocked that sweet and mild Emily was so emboldened by …. ice cream.

So back to this pistachio ice cream and the present day, when I’m not quite so shy.  As a matter of fact, I can be a little bossy sometimes, particularly in the kitchen.  I like to do things right, and it just so happens that I usually know which is the right way.  I can’t help it that I like to spend hours researching food-related topics!  For example, if I’m going to try making ice cream, I read several recipes, check techniques for cooking custard, then refer to the manual for the ice cream machine.  You could say that I’m thorough.  Jonathan doesn’t always see the necessity of this extensive preparation, and sometimes finds it annoying to be commanded, “wait, no! you have to pour the ice cream in while the paddle is running!”  I am working on this; on not always having things my way, so that Jonathan and I can enjoy cooking together and live happily ever after.

So while I was busy with a landscape design (the same one mentioned over the holiday weekend, getting closer to completion now!), he whipped up some ice cream and I offered no unsolicited advice.  And though I was worried about the custard curdling and the inclusion of some finely chopped pistachios, the texture was right on and the flavor was pistachio-licious.  See?  things don’t have to be so complicated.

Jonathan used “Pistachio Ice Cream II Recipe” from cdkitchen.com.  We both agreed that the cardamom was a little strong, so we recommend halving the amount called for.  But this is Pistachio Ice Cream, As You Please.  You can make it however you like, and have as much as you want!  We promise.

Filed under Emily |