For the last weekend of the holidays, we went back to what just might be the single finest bed and breakfast there is — the À La Gloire Du Matin Inn in Quebec’s Eastern Townships — for a much needed weekend of rural R&R before returning to the grind. I knew to expect four-star cuisine and a cozy rustic ambiance, but had no idea that basil and black olive ice cream had been added to their mystery dessert sampler. Like the venison, lamb, bison, duck, salmon and everything else on the menu, it’s completely homemade. And my food review, in a word: damn.
Thanks to some well-deserved flattery and a bit of tasteful begging, I present to you the secret recipe for the finest ice cream you’ve never had, plucked from the master’s own recipe book and translated from French (hope I do it justice).
You’re going to need an ice-cream maker.
500ml (2 cups) of milk
250ml (1 cup) of 35% cream
6 egg yolks
85ml (1/3 cup) of icing sugar
5ml (1 teaspoon) of vanilla extract
1 bunch chopped basil
60ml (1/4 cup) of sliced black olives
60ml (1/4 cup) of grilled pine nutsBring the cream to a near boil (without actually boiling it) before tossing in the basil. Let it cool, and then leave it in the fridge for 24 hours. The next day, give it a run in the blender before heating it up again with the milk and the vanilla.
In a bowl, mix the egg yolks and the sugar. Bring the cream mixture to a near boil again, pour half of it slowly over the eggs while stirring, give the whole thing another enthusiastic stir and then toss it all back into the rest of the cream mixture. Keep the cream cooking on low and don’t stop stirring. Your cream is done when it’s thick enough to coat the spoon nicely (might require some patience, but no need to obsess). Pop it into the fridge for another 24 hours and then put it into the ice cream maker. Add the olives and and pine nuts, and you’ve got yourself the best damn ice cream ever. (Okay that part was me.)
Suggestion:
Makes a perfect accompaniment to ladyfingers or oven-baked apples.
Seriously, however good you think this sounds, it is so much better than that.
And no, I’m not getting a special rate at the B&B in exchange for plugging the place online. But if enough of you book rooms there, maybe I can score me a tupperware full of ice cream!
4 responses so far ↓
1 Chris // Feb 13, 2009 at 11:42 pm
You know, I have a microeconomics textbook that uses olives and ice cream as examples of goods that are not consumed together…
I guess that someone will have to update the author!
2 Jason // Jun 7, 2010 at 12:45 am
*First thought: Blasphemy. Second thought: but maybe it’s better than I think!? Third thought: I also remember reading in my microeconomics textbook about which foods regular people don’t eat together. Fourth thought: Your review could have used more words. Damn comes with a taste of disappointment for some reason.
a taste not unlike the one left by ridiculous leaves and cured fruit in my vanilla ice cream. Chris’ textbook was correct. Keep your dirty olives and basil away from my America. (political satire)
Update: It’s so much better than I think! Thank you, Anonymous. Thank you.
*Before you read this comment, I did not make this recipe. Please do not pay any attention to anything I wrote. I’m a bored college student on summer vacation with nothing better to do at 9:43pm on a Sunday. But honestly, it’s probably so much better than you think! I love you all.
3 Rachel // Jun 7, 2010 at 2:08 am
I agree with this Jason person, whoever you are. Olive ice cream cannot be good. However, if someone would like to make some for me, then I would definitely try it!
any takers???
peace out, girl scouttt.
4 LUKE // Nov 21, 2011 at 4:16 pm
I had this ice cream in the South of France and it’s the strangest most beautiful ice cream I’ve ever tasted.
I’ll definitely be making this ice cream and thanks very much for posting it.
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