11SCREAM

My youngest does this sports move/tic that’s a semi-dribble swoosh toss/baseball swing and juts his head into my gut in conclusion. He moves his feet so fast his sneakers squeak and the sound pierces my ears, as the head butt jostles. School starts soon.

The garage door was opening and closing of its own accord for a few days before Len came to service it. En route, Len was almost hit by a guy and he took his picture. It's the single dad who lives up my street. The street assumed the two single parents with young sons would date 'til he started pissing everyone off. I remain uninvolved. Our house caps the street. I've only lived here this long because there's an easy escape hatch.

Out there with Len, I had to do It, had to organize the heck out of the garage. Every few months this puppy needs a reset. Len came and went and I stayed until my man called me in for niçoise tartines and iced hibiscus tea. Such a treat, all the way round, another grownup in the house. My car Iris is back after spending four months in car insurance purgatory and she seems pleased with the calmer digs. Maybe she even requested we all chill out.

★

I’ve been flavor experimenting using the Cuisinart® strawberry ice cream recipe (minus the strawberries) as home base, and this is by far my personal favorite:

    W A N D S

    • whole milk, 3/4 cup

    • sugar, less than 2/3 cup

    • salt, just a twist

    • heavy cream, 1   1/2 cups

    • bourbon vanilla, 1   1/2 teaspoons

    • passion fruit, 4 scraped clean

    • honey, a generous squeeze

    • saffron, a conservative pinch 

    whisk milk, sugar and salt

        until crystals dissolve

    add cream and vanilla
        whisk more

    fold in passion fruit innards,

        along with honey and saffron

    pour into your home ice cream machine
        churn until tasty

    have a small taste, custard style

    scoop into a freezer container to set

    pairs well with The Parent Trap