Snow Cream
Jan 22nd 2009ChloeGood Fun & On the Farm & Recipes
It snowed on the farm…so we made snow cream.
And when it snows in eastern North Carolina, we go all to pieces. If the weather man predicts snow, we buy all the milk and white bread in every grocery store. Well, I buy heavy cream, popcorn and artichoke hearts. Then we hunker down and wait for the beautiful snow. We close schools and take photos of everything in sight. But one thing we do that is really unique — we make snow cream.
I don’t know how far south snow cream is made, but they don’t make it north of here in Virginia. Maybe it is only a North Carolina treat. When I was growing up we couldn’t wait for snow, but we had to, because it didn’t snow every year.
Snow Cream Recipe
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup cream
- 4 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 egg (optional)
- 1 bowl of light, clean snow (6-8 cups)
Cream together the cream, sugar and vanilla. Some folks add the egg, but I don’t. Using a flexible utensil like a spatula, add the snow a little at a time to the cream mixture until it is the consistency of creamy ice cream. You will have about 3 servings and you must eat it immediately because it melts fast! Oh, what a treat. (In a pinch you can use sweetened condensed milk in place of the cream and sugar. We always kept a can around just in case it snowed).
At Big Mill Bed and Breakfast when it snows, we feed the birds, make snow cream, take photos of everything and play in the snow.
Above: a photo at Big Mill from years ago of Chloe Ann (left), that’s me and Chloe, Sr. on the right-my mother. Same yard, same outbuildings. We thought this was a big hill. Santa brought Nephew Barney and me these strange things called snowflakes. They were round, fast and steering them was impossible. But they were fun.
Above: photo taken by nephew Monk of the barns in the snow
I’m curious … have you ever eaten snow cream? Feel free to share your memories and recipes for snow cream by leaving a comment below.
We all eat well at Big Mill Bed & Breakfast when it snows.
In December 2012 Scott Simon of Weekend Edition from NPR called and interviewed me about my snow cream. Now it is famous!
9 Comments »
9 comments on “Snow Cream”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
My mother made snow cream when I was a child in rural Guilford County, but never with the first snow! Mama said that the first snow carried all the impurities in the air. The second and following snows were more pure.
Yep, Clyde, my mother said the same thing….but we might not get two snows, so I just made it anyway! and it was really good. We may get another snow….:)
Chloe
Same as everybody else. We made snow cream in Wilkes County but not with the first snowfall! I still love snow cream but since I now live in Wilmington, probably won’t get any!!!
Hey, Chloe, We had a big snow last night here in Toano, VA. The kids all came over and we went sledding on the big hill behind our house. When we came in from a full afternoon of play we had hot chocolate and then most fun of all we made snow cream with the recipe from your blog. It was a first time for most of the family and it was delicious!!!!
Dawn
Chloe, am in Colorado and just heard the NPR interview with you about snow cream–what a special treat it must be. We will have a white Christmas and hoping you do as well!
and I heard a rumor that they did have snow flakes east of I-95, so it could happen! thanks for your comment and enjoy your snow. Chloe
Pingback: Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow cream « CuriositytotheMAX
I grew up in the National Forest in the Appalachians in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley (Staunton/Waynesboro area, if you know where that is), and Mom (who grew up on a farm in Kansas) had a great snowcream recipe that included eggs, lots of vanilla, and was absolutely delicious and very very sweet–one of my favorite childhood winter memories!
yes, we used to use eggs also. We had the cows and the chickens here on the farm. And lots of vanilla and sugar!