Making snow ice cream long distance

Hi neighbors. Christmas is getting closer with each day. If you have small children at home they are probably "x"ing out each day as it passes.

I don't know if we will have a white Christmas or not, but I think my grandchild will still be "enjoying" the snow they got this week, long after Christmas!

My daughter lives in Iowa and she told me on the telephone that they got another foot of snow this week on top of a foot already on the ground.

My granddaughter quickly chirped in that there was no school scheduled for the next day! She was disappointed that it was too cold outside to stay out more than a few seconds.

I told her it was down to only five degrees above zero here and she said proudly that it was UNDER ZERO (that's the freezing mark she politely added) where she was and that might mean no school all week.

Being "Grandma" I had to go over with her all the possibilities of frostbite and getting too cold, etc. She listened patiently then said, "We had all that talk at school, Grandma so you can just relax. I know all about it."

I suppose living in Iowa where the snowfall is about double Missouri's usual average, teaching about the dangers of frostbite is something that would be taught in school as early as the third grade.

She asked if her mother had gotten the recipe from me on how to make snow ice cream. A favorite for generations, snow ice cream is frowned on now because it contains raw eggs. So make it at your own risk.

Since my son had been talking to my daughter before I did, I told her that he probably had been the one discussing it with her.

We chatted a bit more about how boring it was to be home from school and unable to go outside. All talked out, she said her usual goodbye, "Well, I love you Grandma but I really need to go do something."

I had no more than settled into my chair, poured my last cup of coffee for the day, turned on the television and was about halfway dozing when the phone rang again.

"Grandma, do you put milk in snow ice cream?" a familiar small voice queried.

Although rich cream might make a difference, my usual stock of 2 percent milk hardly seems worth the effort, so I told her no, or just a tiny bit. And I reminded her not to forget the vanilla. I heard her relay the message to her mother.

"Grandma," her voice became a conspirator's whisper, "I think Mom put too much sugar in the snow ice cream. It tastes really bad." I could just see her in my mind's eye, cupping the telephone's mouthpiece hoping her mother wouldn't hear her disparaging words.

She paused a while, then whispered some more. "Can we fix it? Mom's wasted a lot of eggs so far."

Trying not to let my smile show in my voice I suggested just adding a little more snow.

I heard her turn from the phone and yell loudly to her mother, "Mom! Grandma says get two more buckets of snow! Do you want me to go out and get them?" The last part sound more hopeful than inquisitive.

She continued yelling at her mother in the other room, "I won't take time to make snow angels this time. I think my snowsuit is almost dried out."

I said something else to her and she yelled back to her mother, "Grandma said maybe you used yellow snow!" She caught herself and then I heard a big "oops!" followed by a chiding "Grandma! Even I know what yellow snow is!"

In the background I heard her mother laugh at the old joke and something else was said about wet snowsuits and below freezing wind chills.

Whatever was said between her and her mother, it became apparent she wasn't going back out for even a cup of snow, much less two buckets full.

"Well, Grandma," she said finally, "I guess this time the snow ice cream didn't turn out so good. I love you grandma, but I have to go watch TV now. Bye!"

Until the next time friends remember it often isn't the taste of the food or how a traditional family favorite food turns out that keeps the tradition alive. It's all the fun of sharing the "cooking" of the recipe.