Yes, I realize that it’s September 3 and most other food bloggers are waxing poetic about corn, peaches and tomatoes.  And yes, I realize that most other food writers were over and done with strawberries by late June.  But I live in Ottawa where everything matures just a little bit later.  In fact, it’s one of the reasons that I am so happy I raised my children here in this city.  Even kids mature a bit later here.  In Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver most kids in Junior High are smoking their first joint.  At the same age, kids in Ottawa are just getting around to smoking their first cigarette.  I am hoping that this late maturing thing will apply to my aging body as well.  Maybe I will develop deep wrinkles much later than my sisters in Toronto.

I was at the farmer’s market yesterday and saw gorgeous baskets of tiny fresh strawberries,  I could smell them from 10 feet away.  Of course I got carried away and bought a 4 litre basket.  After gorging myself on berries and plain yogurt (with a dad’s oatmeal cookie crumbled on top) yesterday I managed to make a small dent in the basket. 

We are spending the last long holiday weekend at the cottage and my family is coming to visit from Toronto.  It is still meltingly hot here, although I hear it will get cooler this weekend. With a promise to my niece Kailey to make some dulce de leche ice cream, (she wrote me a letter from camp telling me she loved me, how could I say no?), I decided to use both bowls of my ice cream machine and make two flavours, strawberry and dulce de leche.  One last hurrah for summer!

Strawberry Ice Cream

 (from the Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker recipe Book)

4 ounces fresh ripe strawberries strawberries, stemmed and sliced
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
3/4 cup whole milk, well chilled
1 1/2 cups 35% cream (heavy cream), well chilled
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine strawberries, lemon juice and 3 tablespoons of the sugar. Stir gently and allow the strawberries to macerate in the juices for 2 hours.

2.  In a medium bowl, use a whisk to combine milk and remaining sugar, whisking until sugar is dissolved.

3.  Whisk in heavy cream and vanilla. Add any juices from the strawberries.

4.  Pour into ice cream machine and let mix until thickened, about 20 minutes.

4.  Add sliced strawberries.  Mix for 5 more minutes.

5.  Transfer ice cream to an airtight container.  Cover surface of ice cream with plastic wrap and then put on lid container.  This will help prevent the formation of ice crystals.  Freeze for an additional 2 hours.