snacking on memories - (ice) milk & cookies

Do you remember ice milk? 

If you head to your local supermarket and start prowling around for it, you'll likely come up empty handed. But a quick search around the internet proved to me it wasn't just a figment of my imagination. 

I remember ice milk from those same summers that I shelled purple hulls peas til I had thumbs to match. My grandmother, who was a nutritionista well before her time, switched over to "ice milk" long before "low-fat ice cream" or "low-fat frozen yogurt" or "fro-yo" for sure was en vogue. Some of what I read on the discussions about "ice milk" indicate a lot of people bought it because of price... it was priced considerably lower than ice cream. I imagine for my grandmother it was a win-win-win... fewer calories, less saturated fat, lower grocery bill. All of these topped her list of ideals. 

There's also some debate about whether or not what you find in the freezer case today labeled as "light" or "low-fat" ice cream is really just a new way to say "ice milk." I don't think it is. Ice milk, by definition, contains less fat than "ice cream"... it's basically made from milk, not cream. Makes sense if you think about it.

But there's a long list of additional ingredients in today's frozen offerings that I just don't believe were present in what I was eating a couple of decades ago. Or if they were, I wish they weren't. All that stuff probably has made for a more smooth, less icy ice cream substitution, but sometimes what you grew up on is what you want... iciness and all. I like the idea of frozen milk, sweetened a little bit... nothing more heavy or fancy than that. Simple. Cold. Delicious. Really, I want to enjoy ice milk with my grandmother just one more time... but I can't. I'm thrilled, however, to be able to share it with my boys. 

This is our version of ice milk + the fresh strawberries we picked from a local farm. To guild the lily, so to speak, we also are enjoying a couple of "airplane cookies" with our ice milk. Anyone who's been on a Delta jet in recent years will recognize Biscoff cookies as the treat that makes the friendly skies all the more friendly. I try to snag a pack for my 4 year old whenever I can (and luckily, I can find them in my grocery store as well.) As much as I love to travel and feel fortunate to do the work that I do (which sometimes takes me away from home), I think bringing back a little "happy" from the trip makes the homecoming all the more fun. I love the simplicity of a Biscoff... not for any real health value (see my discussion on dietitian's eating dessert)... rather, how the subtle sweetness and crunch just goes great with ice milk. 

Ice milk is a memory my grandmother made with me. Airplane cookies are a memory that my boys have of when mommy "goes to work" and returns home. Put them both together and it's a special combination that for me means more than just an afternoon of (ice) milk and cookies. 

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Homemade Ice Milk

Note that my version uses Greek yogurt in addition to the milk. This was the result of trial and error. The first trial I had was delicious, but without the yogurt to smooth things out, it just ended up a little more icy than even I could enjoy. I couldn't believe how much creamier a little bit of Greek yogurt made this dessert! Definitely worth a quick trip to the store to complete the recipe if you don't have some Greek yogurt on hand already.

150g sugar
8oz lowfat Vanilla Bean Greek-style yogurt (I tested using Cabot)
16 ounces whole milk
2 teaspoons high-quality vanilla extract

-Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until sugar dissolves and yogurt is thoroughly combined. Pour into freezer can of electric mixer and freezer according to manufacturer's instructions. (Add ins, such as chopped strawberries, should be folded in before mixutre is transferred to freezer container for ripening [hardening of the ice milk.]) 

Postscript - The beautiful red bowls shown in this picture were my grandmothers. I don't recall ever seeing them or eating out of them when she was alive. It wasn't until years after her death that I claimed them for my own from her china cabinet. If I have one regret about my dinings at her house it was that she never used her "good dishes"... she was always saving something for later use. I on the other hand have begun to embrace the saying "life is short... let's use the good china!"

Questions - Do you have any cherished childhood memories that involve food? Are you making new food memories with your children? Do you save your special dishes for special occasions?