Snow Ice Cream

Makay Combs, 11, of Hannibal scoops a container of snow which a few minutes later was transformed into snow ice cream. By Danny Henley.

In the wake of Tuesday’s 18.5-inch snow, Thursday afternoon’s snow-bound monotony was broken by Linda Spaun, who visited Destyni Combs, 14, and Emily Hayes, 17, at the Combs’ home in Hannibal, MO., with a recipe for making homemade snow ice cream.

“I was pretty young, but I can remember sitting out on the porch with my Aunt Connie as she used a hand crank to make homemade ice cream,” she said. “I was the bratty kid. While everyone else was sitting in the house, I’d sit out with her saying, ‘Hurry up!’”

“It’s an opportunity to remember old times,” she said. Shelia Combs suggested that not only could making snow ice cream provide a link to the past, but it also provides a fun pastime for bored youngsters.

“So many people dreaded the blizzard because it meant being cooped up with their kids,” she said. “But things like this give parents the chance to cherish the time they have with their kids.”

When it starts to snow, place a large, clean bowl outside to collect the flakes. When full, stir in sugar and vanilla to taste, then stir in just enough milk for the desired consistency.