HOME & LIVING
B2 — THE OBSERVER & BAKER CITY HERALD
TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2022
The perfect summertime treat:
Homemade ice cream sundae
By GRETCHEN McKAY
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
ce cream is the best of desserts
any time of year, but it really hits
the spot on a warm and balmy
summer evening.
Cool and creamy, it’s both deca-
dent and nostalgic, whether it’s piled
high on an ice cream cone or —
my favorite way — scooped into a
crispy waffl e bowl and drenched with
spoonful after spoonful of homemade
hot fudge.
When I was a kid, my siblings
and I spent many nights churning ice
cream in a hand-cranked ice cream
maker. (Whew — but, eventually, so
worth it!) Today’s plug-in versions are
much easier on the hands and shoul-
ders, with an electric motor doing all
the grunt work by rotating the metal
canister that holds the ice cream base
in a slurry of ice and salt. If you keep
the canister at the ready in the freezer,
and have heavy cream and eggs in
the refrigerator, you can have fresh
ice cream in less than an hour in any
fl avor your heart desires. It’s that easy.
This sundae recipe features what
I swear is one of the best chocolate
fudge sauces I’ve ever tasted — that
of Pittsburgh food blogger Michelle
Lettrich, who runs the popular site
Brown Eyed Baker. It’s so delicious,
you might want to hide any leftovers
under your bed, like my little sister,
Posie, used to do with the Cool Whip.
(Just kidding — you should hide it in
the back of the fridge.)
I made the sundaes with coff ee ice
cream because that’s what I love best,
but you could easily substitute vanilla,
cinnamon, strawberry or whatever
fl avor of ice cream rocks your world.
The sauce can be stored in a cov-
ered container in the fridge for up to
2 weeks. To reheat, microwave for 30
seconds to 1 minute until it’s pourable
but still thick.
I
123rf
This sundae recipe includes a chocolate fudge sauce from Pittsburgh food blogger Michelle
Lettrich, who runs the popular site Brown Eyed Baker.
When I was a kid, my siblings and I spent many nights
churning ice cream in a hand-cranked ice cream
maker. … If you keep the canister at the ready in
HOMEMADE COFFEE the freezer, and have heavy cream and eggs in the
refrigerator, you can have fresh ice cream in less than
FUDGE SUNDAES
an hour in any fl avor your heart desires. It’s that easy.
For ice cream
2 cups half and half
1 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
4 egg yolks
1 cup heavy cream
1½ -2 tablespoons instant coff ee
or espresso powder
Beat egg yolks in a small mixing bowl, add
1/2 cup of the warm mixture to the egg yolks
and whisk to combine. Then add that mixture
to the half and half on the stovetop. Whisk in
coff ee granules until dissolved.
Cook over medium-low heat stirring
constantly until the mixture thickens slightly
— just barely sticking to the back of a spatula
or until it reaches 170 degrees.
For hot fudge sauce
2/3 cup heavy or whipping cream
1/2 cup light corn syrup or honey
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon fi ne or table salt
1 cup semi- or bittersweet
chocolate chips, divided
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Place the heavy cream into a bowl with a
fi ne mesh strainer on top of the bowl. Strain
the custard into the heavy cream. Discard what
is left on the strainer. Add vanilla extract, and
stir to combine.
For sundaes
Whipped cream, for garnish
Maraschino cherries and crushed
nuts, for garnish
Make ice cream: Warm half and half, sugar
and salt in a medium saucepan over medium
heat, whisking to dissolve sugar.
DORY
Continued from Page B1
Early on we lived in
the country so as a small
girl child I was allowed to
wear trousers which were
then called slacks, the boys
wearing jeans or overalls.
By school age, though,
I had to wear dresses to
school, town, or church
regardless of the weather
or the season. There was
Transfer to an airtight container and cool
completely in the fridge (preferably overnight).
Pour mixture into an ice cream maker and
churn until frozen (about 30-40 minutes).
Transfer to an airtight container and freeze
completely, about 4 hours.
When ready to make sundaes, prepare hot
fudge: In a 2-quart saucepan over medi-
no closet in the bedroom
for hanging dresses so my
dad got out his tools, a few
boards, and a wooden rod,
and soon we had a place
for the dresses on hangers.
Then my mother hung a
length of material across
the opening to keep off the
dust. When we moved, I
believe the make-do closet
was removed.
By the time I was in
my teens, we had lived in
nine diff erent houses in La
um-high heat, bring the cream, corn syrup,
brown sugar, cocoa powder, salt and half of
the chocolate chips to a boil. Reduce the heat
to medium-low or low (enough to maintain a
low simmer), and cook for 5 minutes, stirring
occasionally.
Remove from the heat and stir in the
remaining chocolate chips, butter and vanilla
extract, stirring until smooth. Let cool for 20
to 30 minutes before using (it will thicken as
it cools). Store in a jar or airtight container in
the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. To reheat,
microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute until it’s
pourable but still thick.
Assemble sundaes: Place 3 scoops of ice
cream in a sundae cup or bowl. Spoon hot
fudge on top, and garnish with whipped
cream and a maraschino cherry. Crushed nuts
are optional. Serve immediately.
Makes enough ice cream for at least eight
sundaes.
Grande, once to Island City
and back. We lived in one
of them twice and each time
it was a process of moving
the heavy metal of kitchen
range and heating stove in
pieces from one house to
the next and reassembled in
a day’s time. The hanging
of pull-down blinds and
lace curtains, along with
laundry equipment could
take an extra day.
Yes, the cupboards on
the walls always went with
— Adapted from browneyedbaker.com
us along with the heating
and cooking equipment,
but strong helping hands of
family and friends always
made it possible.
The job of moving didn’t
end at this point, though,
for the houses had to be
thoroughly cleansed, both
before moving in and again
after moving out, so we
always lived in clean quar-
ters and so did whomever
moved in after our leaving.
Both houses had to be
Tips for eff ective
summer hydration
that includes electro-
lytes also is important
to replace nutrients and
electrolytes lost during
sweating, such as sodium
and chloride.
Sodium is important
because it helps you
absorb glucose and water.
Aim for about 450 milli-
grams of sodium per 24
ounces of sports drink.
Avoid salt tablets, as they
do not include all the
electrolytes you need and
you can easily use too
much. You also can look
for a drink with some
carbohydrates, since they
provide fuel for your
working muscles.
It is best to consume
about half your fl uid
intake in water and half
in a beverage that con-
tains electrolytes. Mind
the amount of sugar
intake, though. While
sugar is important, espe-
cially for endurance ath-
letes, too much sugar
can cause gastrointes-
tinal issues, including
bloating, cramping or
diarrhea. One recommen-
dation is to keep sugar
below 30 grams per 24
ounces of a sports drink.
The best rule of
thumb is when you exer-
cise, drink to thirst,
and hydrate your body
with plain water and, as
needed, a sports bev-
erage. In the summer,
also be mindful about
how you feel as you
exercise.
I fi nd that many
people do not drink
enough water daily, so
they may feel better after
increasing hydration,
no matter the source. In
addition, avoid drinking
alcohol when you are out-
doors because alcohol is
a diuretic. This means
alcohol will cause your
body to lose water,
leading to dehydration
much faster.
As you spend time
outdoors, be aware of
symptoms of dehydra-
tion, which can include:
• Extreme thirst.
• Less frequent
urination.
• Dark-colored urine.
• Fatigue.
• Dizziness.
• Confusion.
Also, if you experi-
ence cramps or headache
while exercising, it is
best to stop, hydrate and
potentially seek medical
attention. It is important
to rule out other warm-
weather issues, including
heat exhaustion.
Mayo Clinic News Network
DEAR MAYO
CLINIC: I am prone to
kidney stones, so I know
it’s important for me to
stay hydrated while I
exercise. But do I need
to change what I drink
in the summer? A friend
mentioned that I might be
better with a sports drink
versus water. I’m also
wondering how much I
should drink. Can you
provide any advice?
ANSWER: Staying
hydrated during exer-
cise is important. You
can become dehy-
drated if you take in too
little fl uid, especially
during the hot summer
months. Conversely, con-
suming too much fl uid
can be problematic.
Some people are known
to experience what is
known as exercise-in-
duced low sodium, or
hyponatremia. Finding a
balance is importance.
The purpose of
drinking fl uid — whether
water or electrolyte-con-
taining beverages — is
to rehydrate the body and
put fl uid back into your
system so your organs
can function properly.
How much to drink
and when depends on
your situation. Gener-
ally, it’s recommended
that you should consume
at least two liters of water
or other beverages per
day.
The general rule of
thumb among health care
professionals is to drink
to thirst. Although guide-
lines speak to hydra-
tion before, during and
after exercise, I always
tell people to look and
listen to your body as
the best indicator when
you need hydration. That
said, thirst isn’t always
a helpful indicator of
hydration status, partic-
ularly when exercising.
If you’re exercising and
thirsty, you are already
well on your way to
becoming dehydrated,
compared to if you were
resting and thirsty.
You will need to
take in more fl uid than
usual at times. During
the summer months, for
instance, when weather is
hotter and more humid,
it is important to drink
more fl uid, especially
if you are exercising
outdoors.
As far as what to
drink, for most people,
water is the best place to
start. Depending on how
extensively you exer-
cise, having a beverage
swept out and mopped. The
last thing was to fi nish the
fl oors to a high shine on
hands and knees to spread
a coat of liquid wax on
the linoleum; then mamas
would take a last look to be
sure everything was to her
satisfaction.
Why we, and everyone
— Dr. Brittany Beel, Emergency
Medicine, Mayo Clinic,
Jacksonville, Florida
else, seemed to move so often
I have no idea, but I remember
that even on moving day
supper was always on the
table by evening.
█
Dorothy Swart Fleshman is the
author of Dory’s Diary occasionally
published in The Observer and
Baker City Herald. She is a resident
of La Grande.
M ICHAEL
541-786-8463
FLOWERS
Continued from Page B1
Next, there are the normal
types of herbs that have dis-
tinct reasons to deadhead,
but not just the blossoms.
For perennial varieties you
intend to harvest, the essen-
tial oil that gives that plant its
scent is strongest when har-
vested just before the blos-
soms open. Once the blos-
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soms are allowed to open,
the oils won’t be as strong.
Good herbs to think of here
are oregano and garden
sage — very hardy and they
thrive in our climate.
Annual herbs, such as
sweet basil or dill, have
very little essential oil in
their leaves when dried.
Many gardeners retain the
fl avor of basil by processing
the leaves in water then
freezing them. The resulting
“basil cubes” add that fl avor
you won’t get with the dried
leaves. Basil reseeds readily.
Dill seeds are also highly
fl avorful. Always try to har-
vest in the mornings and
it’s fi ne to wash the leaves if
they are dirty.
Grandma is done with
this one, now it’s time to
trim and deadhead some
houseplants!
█
Jennie Hagen is a native Oregonian
who has spent 40 years gardening
east of the Cascades. She is a
member of the Garden Writers
Association and has previously
written for the Home & Garden
section of The Oregonian, and for the
La Grande Observer, the Baker City
Herald, and the Burns Times Herald.
M. Curtiss PN-7077A CCB# 183649
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