Out of Helen's kitchen - Picnics, a summer highlight

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Published on Saturday, June 24, 2017

Helen Drysdale
The Neepawa Banner

Summer time and picnics go hand in hand. In the “old days” picnics were a huge affair, a social gathering of community. Every one attended, from the hired hand, to grannie, for food, fun and fellowship. Schools, churches and neighbourhoods held them. Ball games, three legged races, potato sack races and other various games kept both young and old entertained. The highlight was the homemade ice-cream. Thick farm cream, milk made into a custard, ice, salt and some hard work at turning and voila ice cream. Today ice cream is a regular item on our menus. Back in the day, however, before refrigerators, ice cream was a precious commodity. During the winter, when the lakes and rivers froze up, large blocks of ice were cut and hauled home by team and wagon to an ice house. The ice house was an insulated building where the blocks of ice were stored and covered with sawdust to keep them frozen well on till the summer time. The person who cranked the ice cream was the lucky one that got to lick the dasher. Today’s recipes are both from old cookbooks and to be enjoyed on a hot summer day.

 Vanilla ice cream
This recipe makes 1 gallon of ice cream.
4 eggs well beaten
2 cups white sugar
5 cups milk
1 Tbsp. flour
4 cups heavy cream
5 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
Combine eggs, sugar, 3 cups of the milk and the flour in a double boiler and cook until mixture thickens, stirring frequently. Cool mixture. Combine thickened milk, remaining milk, cream, vanilla and salt and pour into ice cream freezer. Turn in ice cream maker according to maker’s instructions adding more ice and salt as needed.

Potato salad
Dressing:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. pepper
4 egg yolks lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups of milk
1/2 cup vinegar
1 Tbsp. butter

Salad ingredients:
6 potatoes, cooked and diced
5 hardboiled eggs
1/2 cup chopped parsley
2 stalks celery, diced
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2/3 cup diced radishes
To make the dressing: In the top of a double boiler, mix sugar, flour, salt, dry mustard and pepper. Stir in the yolks and milk and cook, stirring, until the mixture has thickened. Add vinegar and butter, then cool. Combine remaining ingredients and mix with the cooled dressing.