Buttermilk Ice Cream with Fresh Blueberry Sauce

Buttermilk reminds me of my grandparents. They liked to drink cold buttermilk. They would talk about milking the cow and making butter during the depression. Everyone suffered back then. My father was a vertigo orphan being passed down from relative to relative. His parents finding work only occasionally.

But for my grandma she remembered the good parts of neighbors coming together and playing cards. My grandfather being Amish was use to going without. For him electric lights and running water were a blessing. After the First World War and looking after the Calvary horses he was happy to have a home with a bed. From my loving Grandparents, I learned that their is such happiness in the simplest of things. Trout fishing and mud pies for one. My mother and my uncle were blessed to have such loving parents. This recipe would be made in a hand crank ice cream maker. Peach ice cream was my families favorite. We would sit on the front porch and take our turns adding salt and ice. One of us would be cranking the maker. So while fresh peaches are not in season this will be equally as good.

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup sugar

¹∕8 teaspoon of kosher salt

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

6 egg yolks

2 cups buttermilk


Put the cream, half of the sugar, salt and vanilla in a saucepan. Whisk to combine.  Bring the cream to just a boil. While the cream is heating, combine the yolks and remaining sugar in a bowl. Using a whisk, beat until mixture is pale and thick. Once the cream  has come to a slight boil, whisk about one third of the hot cream into the yolks and sugar mixture. Add another one third of the mixture, then return the combined mixture to the saucepan. Using a wooden spoon, stir the mixture constantly over low heat until it thickens slightly and coats the back of the spoon. This mixture must NOT boil or the yolks will overcook.

Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer. Whisk in the buttermilk and bring to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, or overnight. Whisk mixture again before pouring into the ice cream maker.

 Pour the mixture into the mixing bowl of an ice cream maker and process. Takes about forty minutes.

Blueberry Sauce:

2 cups fresh blueberries

1/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon of fresh lemon rind

1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon 

Bring all to a boil in a sauce pan and then refrigerate. Now add to the sauce some Creme de Cassis and serve over ice cream !