26 August 23 | Vol 2 Issue 27
Sometimes you can be struck by a thought that with development might turn out to be a good idea. Lacking in time, money, expertise or just general impetus to make it reality, such whimsies would normally turn fallow. A blog (or newsletter) brings harbour to these half baked ideas.
One of my proudest achievements is raising my daughter to use two expressions, the first being fully baked. See Benjamin Braddock’s iconic inaugural usage, Ben perhaps predating today’s lack-of-faith-in-consumerism gen-z’ers.
The other is the ever useful extra medium. As in does that come in extra medium? Perfect for when when someone asks you to do something they think is a perfectly sound and reasonable idea, but if actually attempted to be put in practice by yourself, well… would you like that in extra medium?
Also ideal for when you’ve had the most perfect day doing nothing in particular with your crush, just everyday stuff, no special events and no stress. Just catching green lights all the way across town, hitting the beach at low tide without planning, a much loved film turning up on Netflix, all the right ingredients in the cupboard for an impulse favourite recipe . How was your day? It was extra medium. (Oh such a perfect day it was ext-ra med-di-um, you just keep me hanging on).
These two are linked, once there was a great site called fully baked, which hosted many — you saw this coming — fully baked ideas. The queen of which was the extra medium size. Extra small, extra large… extra medium. A beautiful concept.
Here’s a fully baked idea – Pantone Ice Cream.
Create various flavours. Package them in beautifully minimal pots bearing only the colour and number of the resultant mix: Designer ice cream.
So this post isn’t a complete waste of space here’s a recipe for my favourite flavour, have trust, it is delicious – Basil Ice Cream.
Actually frozen yoghurt, but those familiar enough with making custard based mixtures can adapt.
Empty a large pot of greek style yoghurt (sheep’s milk preferably) into a clean tea towel, tie the towel up into a bundle (I use a hair band but an elastic one should do), and hang up in the fridge so the liquid drips out. Or allow place the tea towel in a pan allowing enough room beneath the cloth for the drained whey. Basically get a bit Heath Robinson so you can strain the stuff in the fridge.
In a pan dissolve 150 grams white sugar in 140 grams water over a medium heat, allow to cool. (Probably doesn’t have to be that precise, basically 5oz each sugar and water.)
Pull the leaves off a very large bunch of basil (or two regular bunches) and pop into a blender, add the cooled sugar syrup, and whizz till bright emerald green. Chill. (Ice cream works best if all the ingredients are as cold as possible before the churning stage)
Pour the basil syrup and drained yoghurt into your ice cream maker according to recommended procedure. But I haven’t got an ice cream maker you say. Hunt down an ice cream football maker, or use the technique my gran did: pour into a Tupperware tub with a lid and place in the freezer, take it out every 15 to 30 minutes and give it a stir round with a fork, until frozen enough to start eating.
Don’t tell your friends what the flavour is, enigmatically state Pantone 346, see if they can guess.
If you really can’t be bothered with the whole ice cream thing I reckon you could create an awesome cocktail, adding some ice and vodka and the blender stage. Maybe some lime juice.
If you reached this far I have a confession, the last month has kept me busy, this post is in part a refurb from a previous piece back in July 2010. Since then it seems Pantone ice cream has actually become a bit of a thing, at least on Pinterest. I missed you, so allow me this indulgence in repurposing.
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I pinched the ice cream image from jenis.com
Make some please
Basil and lemon ice cream is good dolloped into chilled tomato soup in blazing weather. And whey from your yoghurt is great for steaming broccoli, which is generally tedious. And hope you are doing well. Fondest, Vx