Snow ice cream

Driving was a major headache with today’s spring snowfall, but it prompted my Dad to remind us conditions were perfect for building snowmen.

And snow ice cream!

I am still breathlessly puzzled that after living in a city with five months of winter, we seem to be the only family who makes snow ice cream.

Conditions must be optimal: the gallon chili pot was always plonked outside to collect fresh, fluffy snow pouring down from the sky unabated by wind.

When it was full, we’d add up to one cup white sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla, and two cups of milk. Combine and eat immediately. We used to refreeze it to get it a bit stiffer, as the milk melts the snow so fast.

It’s that simple. Other versions mix a can of sweetened condensed milk with a splash of vanilla.

But today, we were out of both milk and canned varieties and hit the bottle — Baileys Irish Cream it was.

The leftover bottle, purchased for a Christmas yule log recipe, was languishing at the back of the fridge and seemed a perfect stand in.

I won’t say it was a mistake.