Birthdays in Quarantine
This week is birthday week. It happens every year…obviously. It starts with my boys, then me, and ends with my daughter. The boys turned 16 on Tuesday, (we won’t talk about me), and my daughter will be 14 on Sunday.

Having a birthday in quarantine kinda sucks. They should be out with their friends and having a good time. Instead, they are stuck at home with their parents which, I like to remind them, isn’t that bad…I mean, I think we’re pretty cool. They’re not convinced.

The biggest challenge for me is how to make their day special when every day seems like Groundhog Day. They didn’t really ask for anything as far as presents go. How do you make a birthday special while sheltering in place? My answer: favorite foods.

The birthday dinner requests were pretty telling as far as personalities go. The boys chose chicken cutlets with mashed potatoes and milk gravy. They were adamant that there be no vegetables or anything with a color that wasn’t beige. And, for dessert, we had S’Mores Dip (with a side of Tums) #TeenageBoys.

My choice for dinner is take-out BBQ from Slow Hand BBQ my favorite place near my house and a Texas Sheet Cake courtesy of my daughter. We ate outside ‘cause I’m sick of being inside—so, that means BBQ.

And then, there is my daughter. There was no question in my mind that she would choose something out of the ordinary and I was right. Her request? Dim Sum and Roast Peking Duck. So I am trying to figure out how to make this happen in a shelter-in-place world. Dim Sum is all about the experience of going out and picking tasty things from the carts that roll by. Making my own is possible but too difficult if you want variety…and don’t get me started on the duck!

The good news? Her request for dessert is an easy one. She wants to make the homemade chocolate ice cream she made in her class last summer. That I can handle…

Sophie’s Chocolate Ice Cream
Yields approximately 1 quart

Ingredients
6 egg yolks
8 ounces whole milk
8 ounces heavy whipping cream
4 ounces granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
8 ounces chopped chocolate or chocolate chips

Directions
Make the custard
In a medium saucepot, bring the milk, cream, and half the sugar to a simmer. In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks, the second half of the sugar, and the vanilla. Slowly whisk the milk mixture into the egg mixture. Then return it to the pot on the stove.

Continue to cook the mixture until it reaches 180°F. Add the chocolate and stir until melted and well incorporated. Strain through a fine-mesh into a clean bowl.

Cool the custard
Cover the custard by laying plastic directly on top and place it in the fridge to cool completely. Alternatively, you can cool it over an ice bath.

Churn the ice cream
Churn the custard in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions.