Ice Cream Maker Tips - Cleaning

All kitchen appliances have their pros and cons so a range of tips on how to use them properly is useful. The ice cream maker is no exception. So if you're planning to make ice cream as part of Thanksgiving celebrations, get ahead, get your ice cream maker out and give it a good checking over.

In this and subsequent posts I plan to cover some of the key tips in how to use your ice cream maker to best advantage.

Let's start with tip 1 - Cleaning Your Ice Cream Maker

If you have an ice cream maker then cleaning it properly before and after use will be something you are used to. If, however, you are about to buy an ice cream maker then my advice is make sure you develop the habit of cleaning it properly from the moment you take it out of its box. Clean it and do it properly every time you use the machine. That way not only will you be making your ice cream hygienically but you will also help preserve the working life of your ice cream maker. As anyone knows, ice cream can be messy, especially if you've just made a batch of fresh ice cream, served it up for the family to enjoy and then you forget about the remnants left in the ice cream bucket or bowl, only to come across it a couple of hours later., warm, runny and sticky .... yugghh! Always try to clean your machine as well and as quickly as possible after you have finished using it.

That also applies to the utensils you use - making sure they are clean before you use them is really important otherwise your ice cream could become contaminated. Here's a list of the utensils you are most likely to use when making ice cream:

• measuring spoon (or scales, measuring jug or cup)
• food grater
• mixing bowls
• spatulas (wooden or plastic are preferable to metal)
• sieve
• saucepan (if you are making a custard base ice cream)
• ice cream scoop
• storage container(s)

Just remember - a clean machine is mean machine!

More reading on ice cream maker tips

Homemade Ice Cream - At The White House?

On 1 November I wrote a post about US Presidents and connections with ice cream. At that point the outcome of the US Presidential Election was unknown but I dared to ask the question:

"If it's Obama, given one of his hobbies is said to be cooking, I wonder if he'll make his own homemade ice cream? Now that might just be a first for a US President!"

History has been made and Barack Hussein Obama II is going to the White House. He may go on to make further history; his sense of vision and love for his country are strong enough to see him achieve that but in between the pressures of daily office he will need some relaxation. Most likely it will be in the form of spending time with his family and I would love to think that there might be one day sometime, any time, when he and his family are at home together that they decide to make some homemade ice cream. Sounds silly? Not in the least, I'm quite serious. Making your own ice cream is good fun - and you get to enjoy the end results. All in all, a great way to make dad, mum and the kids all happy, relaxed and enjoying a sense of togetherness.

Perhaps one day when President Obama talks to Oprah Winfrey in an informal tv chat, who knows we might just hear him talking about making a little ice cream at home with the family. If he does, that could be another first - homemade ice cream in the White House. Now there's something the ice cream manufacturers would love to franchise!