Back in December 2012, Scott Simon from NPR’s Weekend Edition called to interview me about my snow cream – and just like that, it became famous.
When it snows in eastern North Carolina, we absolutely fall to pieces. The moment the weather man whispers the word “snow,” folks rush out and clear every shelf of the grocery stores of milk and white bread. Me? I stock up on heavy cream, popcorn, and artichoke hearts. Then we settle in, cozy up, and wait for that rare, beautiful snowfall. Schools close, cameras come out, and suddenly everything looks worthy of a photo. And of course, we do the one thing that’s uniquely ours: we make snow cream.
I’m not sure how far north snow cream is made, but I do know you won’t find it anywhere past Virginia. Maybe it really is a true North Carolina treat. When I was growing up, we could hardly wait for snow; and most years we had to wait, because those rare winter storms didn’t come often.
Ingredients
- 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)
Instructions
- 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).
- If you are caught unprepared, you can use tinned Eagle Brand Sweetened Milk. it is quite tasty.
Nutrition
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.
Sledding at Big Mill in the fifties
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.
Be sure to check the December 2012 story by Scott Simon of Weekend Edition from NPR about my snow cream. Now it is famous!
Big Mill Bed & Breakfast, Williamston, NC 252-792-8787
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