AUTHOR: Julia TITLE: Suspiciously Delicious DATE: 7/27/2009 08:32:00 AM ----- BODY:
Yep, that's Dina picking up a plastic bag of green stuff from a prearranged drop-off. Not suspicious at all, nope.

Hopefully, my neighbors don’t call the cops on her. This is Cambridge, MA, after all. And we know what could happen. Despite all the controversial media, I left a bag of mint on the front porch for Dina. I think I’m safe, though, since my neighbors also partake of my bounty of herbs: I regularly find 4-year old Oliver in the mint patch having a little snack.

Lord knows, I can’t possibly consume all the herbs on my own. I enjoy what I can throughout the summer, and freeze more for the winter. But even still the garden produces more than I can enjoy. I joke that I’ll start a farm-stand at the end of my driveway and peddle my excess herbs (and vegetables).

On Saturday evening, Dina returned for dinner with Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream. Seems like a fair trade, don’t you think?

This recipe comes courtesy of www.epicurious.com. It sounds like the same as the one Dina used.

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
2 cups packed fresh mint leaves
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
3 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened)

In a blender blend cream, milk, and mint until mint is finely chopped. In a saucepan bring cream mixture just to a boil and cool 15 minutes. Whisk in eggs and sugar and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened and a thermometer registers 170°F. (Do not let custard boil or it will curdle.) Pour custard through a fine sieve into a bowl. Chill custard, its surface covered with plastic wrap, until cold, at least 3 hours, and up to 1 day. Chop chocolate. Freeze custard in an ice-cream maker. Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and stir in chocolate. Put ice cream in freezer to harden.


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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous noble pig DATE:7/27/2009 11:37:00 AM My favorite flavor of all time...looks delish! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Reeni DATE:7/28/2009 08:12:00 PM I bet this is just amazing with the fresh mint! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Juliana DATE:7/29/2009 06:12:00 PM Oh! This ice cream looks delicious...unfortunately I do not have an ice cream maker. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous limeduck DATE:7/29/2009 10:05:00 PM So let me get this straight... you leave a bag of "herb" on the porch in the morning, and this "Dina" picks it up and brings back *ice cream* that night?

This might be the Peoples Republic of Cambridge, but there must be something illegal about that.

Unless you share it with us, that is... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Callie Durbrow DATE:7/30/2009 12:59:00 PM Mint chocolate chip is one of the best. It looks even better home-made! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Unknown DATE:8/01/2009 09:20:00 AM Amazing...looks yummy...Just stumbled and submitted your site to http://Viralogy.com. Hope you get some great traffic from it. Your blog is here http://www.viralogy.com/blogs/my/13148 ----- --------