In my previous post, an interview with Shauna, Gluten-free girl, I asked her where does she find her food inspiration, because they seem to be making all kinds of cool foods over there at her place… It makes me feel like such a bore.

Shauna replied with a few names of people she knows and a food book that inspire her cooking, but summed it up simply with “I’m inspired by food all the time.”

She is right. There’s so many things within close reach and people around us from whom we can get inspired about the next dish or meal to make, or life. Or dessert. We only have to look more closely. The inspiration might be right there, waiting under our nose.

Just look at this mint. I have–It was hard to ignore–and it made me want to run back into the kitchen and make mint ice cream.

My ice cream maker has been standing lonely and neglected since 2 summers ago. 2, summers, ago!

Last summer sucked—my father was really sick and last August he died. I was in no mood to celebrate. Making ice cream feels like a celebration.

This summer I’ve decided to slow down with work and spend as much time as I can outdoors, in the sun, and with the kids. June was wintery, rainy, and grey (I used the F-word a lot in June), which makes the current Seattle summer very, very shot—only 2 months!

I know we’ll have a long winter (The temperatures drop at the end of September) and there’s going to be plenty of time to stay inside the house, and in front of the computer, and hibernate until next May or June. The ice cream machine had to be used, immediately, while the mint is lovely and at its prime time.

The same as I was, still am, crazy for soaking my feet in water and sand at the beach and watch as many sunsets as time and schedules allow, it burned in my mind, “I must make ice cream this summer!”

And so I did.

The recipe I used is from David Lebovitz’s book, “The Perfect Scoop”. It has many recipes that I marked with little Post-It notes but the fresh mint in the backyard was so gorgeous, so that recipe was the first one to be made. Luckily, you can find it on his web site as well under Mint ice cream with an addition of chocolate. Hmm, why haven’t I thought of that?

Do you have an ice cream machine? Have you used it this summer? What did you make?

From that point on, I noticed more and more inspiring stuff around, like… Thyme.

Ah, these beautiful beets reminded me of a wonderful dish, Rib Roast of Beef with Beets, Potatoes, and Horseradish, a friend, Mark, once cooked for dinner and we had the pleasure of eating. It’s a recipe by Jamie Oliver from his cookbook, “Cook with Jamie” (which I bought after seeing it in Mark’s kitchen–what a gorgeous book! The pavlova recipe is taken from that book.)

The recipe is on Martha Stewart’s site + a video how to make it. (I must make it myself soon.) In the video Jamie is making this dish with Martha—you must watch it! I can’t get over him calling Martha “my darling”, and “sweet heart”, and “love”… I must add a to that! Jamie Oliver is always very inspiring.

Up next, tarragon. To be more specific, chicken braised with white wine, cream, mushrooms, and tarragon. I haven’t made this in… 10-15 years??? Wow.

So, remember, inspiration is right under your nose. Start looking.

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Tags : Dessert, ice cream, mint, recipe
Categories : Dessert, Recipes, Spring and Summer