Vanilla + Bourbon + Mint Frozen Custard

Happy Monday from a delightfully thunder-stormy New York. I know I've complained before about the New York summers (because they're miserable), but once you get to the dog days and huge thunderstorms end almost every day... that I like. It reminds me of driving home from the beach or day camp, my hair still wet from swimming, and then the sky turning dark and pouring down rain. I'd run inside, trying to shield myself with my already wet towel, and then I'd dry off and curl up and watch cooking shows on PBS while the rain tick-tacked on the air conditioner. The best!

As for other summery things, yesterday, me and the nerd squad (me, Candice, Richie, and Dan) went to Fire Island, another nostalgic place that just feels like home no matter how long I've been away. We bought a beach umbrella--I'm not sure how I made it through my pale AF existence so far without one--but I still got a bit of a sunburn. It wouldn't be summer without one, though.

We also walked down to the lighthouse and basically all the way to Kismet. Which means you have to walk back to the public beach via the nudie section, which is always fun. I think there's some rule where you can't be fully nude anymore, so there are these little g-strings with tiny fabric fronts that leave little to the imagination. In fact, they ignite the imagination with their glittery, colorful patterns and physics-defying ability to stay in place while a rousing game of paddle ball goes on in the crashing ocean waves.

I digress.

After the beach, we were poooooopped, and this ice cream came to the rescue. It has raw bourbon *in* it, so that means it's kind of icy and slushie. I shouldn't call it "raw" since that's buzzwordy now, but what I mean is that I don't "cook off" any of the alcohol. I just dump it in the churning ice cream. That definitely affects the freezing point, so it stays slightly melty, which I am very into.

This is especially appealing when you pour soda over it and make a boozy ice cream float! I used a San Pellegrino pomegranate and orange somethin' cause it was on sale at C-Town and they didn't have cans of grape soda, which I actually wanted, but I didn't want to commit to drinking a full 2-liter before all the fizz escaped.

Anyway, hope you make this, but if not, promise you'll at least pour some bourbon and soda over vanilla ice cream for me, k?

Vanilla + Bourbon + Mint Frozen Custard

Recipe by Hillary Reeves

• 1 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 eggs
• 3 egg yolks
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1/2 cup chopped mint
• 5 oz bourbon
• 1 can soda (whatever flavor you like!)

Cooking Directions

1. Combine milk and cream in a small saucepan. Put heat on medium. Cook milk mixture until almost boiling--the moment you see the first bubble rise to the surface, reduce or turn off heat.
2. While milks cook, strip vanilla bean pod and add seeds to milk, then also add in stripped pod. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Using a ladle, add a bit of the hot milk to the egg mixture and whisk vigorously. Add a bit more milk and continue whisking. Once eggs feel warm to the touch, pour egg mixture back into saucepan. Turn heat back to medium and cook, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula until mixture, again, comes almost to a boil. It should coat the back of a spoon at this point.
4. Turn off heat and pour mixture into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and press onto surface of custard to keep a film from forming. Place in fridge and chill for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
5. Place metal container in freezer to chill. I used a loaf pan.
6. Pour chilled mixture into your ice cream maker and churn. Add chopped mint and bourbon. Continue churning until ice cream is the consistency of a soft, soft serve. Scoop into chilled pan and freeze until firm, a few hours or overnight.
7. Once ice cream is frozen, scoop into a glass and top with your favorite soda for a boozy float. We used pomegranate and orange San Pellegrino!