Easy Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream (No-Churn)

What’s the Buzz?

I have a love-hate relationship with coffee: I love it, but it doesn’t love me. I have cut my coffee intake back to just one cup in the morning, but it’s a constant struggle. I love the flavor. I love the ritual of a steaming hot cup in the morning and in the afternoon—sometimes you just need that giant latte to get through. The struggle is real folks.

Iced Vietnamese coffee is a favorite guilty pleasure that I don’t indulge in very often, but I love it. (It’s the condensed milk that makes it good but not good for you.) I will have it occasionally when we have Vietnamese for lunch, because I just can’t resist. I’m wired when I get back to my desk, but boy am I productive. So when I saw this recipe I knew I just had to try it. (Especially because my favorite ice cream is anything that starts with a coffee base. Shocking, ain’t it?)

I have one of those old-fashioned, crank ice cream makers—it’s one of my most favorit-est things. However, I like the fact that I don’t need to use it to make this treat. I used the French Market coffee that we carry in the store. The chicory ads a little oomph to the coffee flavor! Feel free to substitute your favorite espresso grounds too…

Easy Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream (No-Churn)
A quick and easy, no-churn ice cream, inspired by Vietnamese Iced Coffee. It’s creamy, sweet and uses sweetened condensed milk. Read more…

Chiles Anchos Rellenos de Queso (Cheese-Filled Poblano Chiles)

Feliz Cumpleaños
My family is a bit different. I think we have well established that, but if we need any further proof, here it is…

I celebrated my 29th birthday (again) this past May, and my gift from my sister was a culinary tour of the Hispanic grocery stores, bakeries and butchers in Sonoma. Not your usual gift, but it totally beats a new sweater. It was typical us…and we had a blast.

Because of my Mexican food habit, I am no stranger to Hispanic grocery stores. In fact I shop at my local Mom and Pop all the time for the things we just don’t carry here. (As much as I would love to have anything and everything, it’s just not possible.) And for the warm tortillas…(My god, the warm tortillas!)

As a card carrying Foodie, or maybe because that’s how I roll, I have never felt the intimidation that others in our tour group felt about shopping at one of these establishments. Granted, I feel pretty at home in grocery stores, but I always figured any language barrier could be solved by hand gestures at the least and a love of food at best. So it surprised me that some of the other food lovers among us were missing out on really great culinary experiences because of fear of looking out of place or unknowledgeable. The good news? That was resolved that afternoon.

The panaderias (bakeries) and the carnicerias (butchers) are a whole different world of new and interesting. Here you will find the legit pastries and cuts of meat that you won’t find anywhere else–and the best thing is that, for the most part, the people who work there will happily explain how to prepare their products. We were given quite an education by the proprietors, and more than a few ideas for what to make for dinner.

We were also fortunate to enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, Rancho Viejo. If you are ever in Sonoma and looking for some place to stop and grab a bite, I definitely recommend it. The Cochinita Pibil (Pork slow cooked in Banana Leaves) was fantastic, as were the Chili Rellenos.

Chiles Anchos Rellenos de Queso (or Cheese-Filled Poblano Chiles recipe)
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Lemon Meringue Pie

Pucker-Up Buttercup
Fourth of July always makes me think of dessert…there are so many ways to add red, white, and blue color to sweet dishes. For this reason, and because it is in my nature to be contrary, I am going rogue for the Fourth with yellow. And by yellow I mean Lemon Meringue Pie. (Pies are totally patriotic, and yellow is the color of summer, and we are right in the middle of summer so it works, right?)

My mom made lemon meringue pie occasionally when I was growing up, and when she did, it was a big deal. (Especially to Dad!) Full disclosure, I wasn’t a huge lemon fan as a kid. Now? I’m that sad individual that will sit by myself with a vat of lemon curd and a spoon and be totally happy with the world.

Mom’s recipe came from the 1965 edition of the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. Forget Curious George or James and the Giant Peach, this was the book of my childhood. I have a lot of memories of my sister and I flipping to the pancake and waffle section on the weekends, and Dad showing us how to get the Swedish pancakes super thin. Some of the recipes in there are tried and true and some of them are, well…scary. (It was 1965. We’ve come a long way.) And then, there was the Lemon Meringue Pie.

Mom’s crusts were always super-flaky no matter what pie she made. (Her Pumpkin Chiffon is the bomb). The Meringue pies were a different kind of cool because she piled the meringue high—which, I think, is key. It gave the pie a real WOW factor, and in our family it’s all about the WOW. Just ask Dad, he’s the King.

I don’t currently have a copy of the BH&G Cookbook (I have ordered one from Ebay…it’s not here yet and I am getting impatient.) This recipe is as close as I can remember, and I will check back once the original arrives.

Happy Fourth of July!

Lemon Meringue Pie Read more…

Jelly, Marmalade & Jam

Each of these recipes gives a different spin on delicious spreadable treats. Lavender and Lemon Jelly is a classic recipe with a flavorful twist, Red Onion Marmalade goes with savories, and finally, Fresh Strawberry Chia Jam can be prepared in minutes and left to set while you are making breakfast.