When I think of July 4th, I think of homemade ice cream. Fireworks, parades, festivals, and barbecues all come to mind after ice cream.

Growing up, my large extended family met at Granny’s house for July 4th activities. Mom was the youngest of six, and when we got together, Granny’s yard was filled to the brim with cousins. One uncle had ice cream duty, cranking the old ice cream maker by hand for what seemed to be hours while we waited anxiously for a sample of the homemade vanilla, chocolate, or peach treat he’d scoop out. I don’t know how they decided who’d crank the ice cream, but someone must have lost a coin toss because cranking the ice cream maker isn’t easy.

People have loved ice cream for centuries, with records of ice cream-like treats dating back to the second century B.C., when Alexander the Great enjoyed snow flavored with honey and nectar.

Fast-forward 1,000 years or so, and Marco Polo returned to Italy from the Far East with a recipe for what resembles our modern-day sherbet.

Ice cream, or “cream ice” as it was called back in the 17th century, was often at the King Charles I table in England. Catherine de Medici, Italian wife of Henry II of France, brought with her a frozen dessert resembling cream ice. In 1660 ice cream was made available to the general public at a café in France. In the 1700s, the frozen treat gained popularity in America, and rumor has it that President George Washington spent $200 on ice cream during the summer of 1790 - which by today’s standards, is roughly $5,344. On ice cream!

Until 1800, ice cream was only for the elite as refrigeration was not common in the average home. The first hand-crank ice cream maker was patented in the 1840s. I, for one, am thrilled to have ice cream and refrigeration.

We have an electric ice cream maker that uses rock salt and lots of ice to churn the ice cream, but I’ve found a method for making homemade ice cream that uses one mixing bowl, a mixer, and a pan to hold the creamy concoction while it freezes. While making a batch last night, I discovered that my electric mixer is packed in storage, but I had an old-fashioned hand mixer that worked just fine.

This recipe is for coffee ice cream, but it’s a good starting point for you to get creative. I omitted the coffee last night and added about five heaping tablespoons of huckleberry preserves.

Homemade Coffee Ice Cream

Ingredients:

1 can of sweetened condensed milk

2 cups of whipping cream

5 packets of instant coffee (I used the Starbucks single-serve packets)

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, empty instant coffee packets and add enough water to dissolve. Add can of sweetened condensed milk and whipping cream. Mix until it’s noticeably thicker, then transfer it to a freezable container and freeze it for a few hours or overnight. Enjoy a bowl while you ponder the marvels of modern refrigeration.