Sometimes, They Just Don't Work Right

Q: In this case, it is one of those cooking toys that I was so pleased to get initially. I picked up one of those Rival Soft Serve Ice Cream Makers. It is the type where you put the bowl in the freezer overnight or a couple days in advanced, and then you put it all together, run the machine and the ice cream forms inside, and then it has an auger to push the soft serve out the bottom. No leaks, the parts go right together and the machine operates as it should. BUT, the bowl just doesn't freeze the ice cream adequately, and I never got anything closer than a well melted shake. Three tries, no worthy results, out it goes. And this isn't even worth a FreeCycle. It was so bad, I couldn't inflict it on anyone else either. So does anyone here have one of these, and if so, how did you get your results (presuming they were better than mine)?

A: I have something similar, an old Donvier ice cream maker. It works best when the mixture going in is already quite cold. If the mixture going in is cold, the ice cream maker can take it the rest of the way. These freezer buckets are not capable of dropping the temperature of a mixture very far. So you have to start cold. But if you start cold... they work. The Donvier ice cream maker is for those who have lots of patience. I bought one in the 1970's. I certainly was disappointed. It holds true with all ice cream makers that one must use plenty of cream - hence the name ice "cream." Using mostly "milk" will turn into a block unless one keeps it moving and then likes slush. I, too, never got the container cold enough to do an adequate job. Turning that crank has to be one of the most boring kitchen chores of the last few decades. A few years ago I moved up to a Cuisinart ice cream maker, but I still hadn't got to my dream machine purchase, the compressor type. I had plenty of cream each week for ice cream as I buy a gallon a week from the local farm and can skim it off for ice cream. However, that didn't last long, as I got into an even more wonderful habit: espresso. As I've never been able to 'stomach' coffee without cream, I am using all the cream for my coffee each week. I suffer when the cows don't produce enough cream during certain times of the year and there is less cream. My only saving grace is that I can still tolerate the heavily pasteurized cream for my coffee, so I guess I'll make a few batches this summer with the farm cream. My advice for an ice cream lover is to look for a Cuisinart (or similarly priced around $50). Then if you ever do get the compressor-type, make sure you are strong to lug to the counter space. The rice cooker also has been a gradual moving forward in brands. I have a Zojirushi now, and it makes perfect white and brown rice - EVERYTIME! Longevity, experience and a little extra money sometimes makes a happier cook. Yesterday morning, I guess only because it was Sunday, I decided to make pancakes. Today the electric skillet is still sitting there to be put away. But I did decide (DH agreed) that it is the last time I will ever make pancakes. It is no big deal to make them, but for us, not even worth that amount of trouble. There are too many other wonderful things to eat. And after getting out a jar of expensive fabulous maple syrup, we decided to not use maple syrup again. I used honey. Time marches on. Yes, I agree jt, this group really needs some life injected in it ;-)) I've done my part today -- and now it's on to the rehab for a frozen shoulder treatment 3x week for 4-6 months. No lifting of pans for me!

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