OK first thing’s first… I love LOVE love having an ice cream maker. It is the new fascination in my foodie life. I am starting with the tried and true recipes of the masters, and I’m sure I will branch off soon into my own pensive land.
Today I needed to bring a dessert to a little friendly get together, but of course, it turned into a challenge. My host thought the options could only be among the simple – namely chocolate, vanilla or strawberry. 
There is nothing I love more than a challenge where someone says, “that’s not possible.” So instead I crafted the first request from my friend’s son – Mint Chocolate Chip.
Of course, I went to the master, Mr. Lebovitz, for a starting point. (Here is his recipe.) I wanted to try a natural mint ice cream. Frankly, I don’t think I have ever had one. We all know those national food guys aren’t steeping mint for each batch. So I followed the instructions and steeped the fresh mint leaves for an hour in the warmed milk, cream, and sugar mixture. Continue with the custard and more cold cream, et voila! Ice cream…
I adore the Stracciatella method of adding chocolate chips and my gosh, it is SO simple. Melt some great chocolate and stream it into the 90% churned ice cream. It practically freezes on contact and then gets mixed in to the cream in long thin shards of chocolate. It is beautiful and creates the most wonderful texture in your mouth. The other plus of this method is no stabilizers from commercial chocolate chips – just pure chocolate love!
This ice cream has such a fresh herbaceous flavor, definitely mint. I think at first the flavor stunned me a bit because I am so used to the mass produced mint ice creams. I wasn’t sure I liked it upon first bite. But it didn’t take many more bites for it to grow on me, and I love it. I also love knowing that this upcoming summer there will be no need to throw away any mint. Last summer I had so so so much mint that I couldn’t find enough uses for it. Problem solved…
I also chose to spiff up some homemade decadent chocolate fudge sauce with a little peppermint oil as an accompaniment to the main star. Even if you don’t make the ice cream – I highly recommend trying your hot fudge recipes with different flavorings. You’ll be hooked!
