Here is the recipe I use from Joy of Baking. Please note, if it cools to long, it becomes rubbery, so I only let it cool so it's not hot. So, I whip the cream, refrigerate it, and then make the stabilizer. Otherwise it cools too long and becomes rubbery, and you have to heat it and cool it all over again. I have never had a bad texture from it. Sherry STABILIZED WHIPPED CREAM ICING 1 tsp. unflavored gelatin 4 tsp. cold water 1 c. heavy whipping cream (at least 24 hours old and very cold) 1/4 c. confectioners' sugar 1/2 tsp. clear vanilla extract Combine gelatin and cold water in small saucepan. Let stand until thick. Place over low heat, stirring constantly just until gelatin dissolves. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Whip cream, sugar and vanilla until slightly thickened. While beating slowly, gradually add gelatin to whipped cream mixture. Whip at high speed until stiff. Yield: 2 cups Cakes iced with whipped cream must be kept refrigerated. (This is the commercial recipe used by bakeries).

From time to time I've seen little specialty genuine Italian ice places open up but they usually don't stay in business long. The price is too high and too much competition from the cheapo soft serve and other places. Not enough Italian ice connoisseurs out there and not spread around the US. I'm sure there are some places but none near my radar screen. It's hard enough nowdays just to get a good hard ice cream cone or even some at the grocery. A couple of our famous and delicious local and regional dairies have shut down, long prior to the pandemic so the supply even at the grocery store is limited to a few brands and the same at every store. Back in the day a lot of small towns had local ice cream dairies, including mine, and then two ice cream shops that sold it in many confections. Those day long gone, sigh . . . My aunt met my uncle when he was on a road trip from a nearby college, at our local home town place, long lost to the mists of time. I used to ride my bike out to another regional dairy store and get a wonderful cone as a fun way to spend time and allowance during the summer. That too is gone . . . We do have a drive through Dairy Queen that does a brisk business . . .

Painting an entrance, hallway and walls along the stairs and want to know the best color goes with BM Vanilla Ice Cream for trim

Here is my recipe for French vanilla ice cream: 1 cup whole milk 3/4 cup sugar 2 cups heavy cream, divided 1 vanilla bean split lengthwise, about 6” long 4 egg yolks plus 1 whole egg 1 tsp vanilla extract (can substitute a liqueur) Combine the milk, sugar, and one-half cup of the cream in a medium saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the pan and drop in the vanilla pod. Heat over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is warmed through. Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let the mixture steep for 30 minutes. Pour one cup of cream into a bowl and set a fine mesh sieve over the top. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks and egg with 1/2 cup cream until smooth. Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the bowl with the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Return the entire mixture to the saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon (about 170˚-175˚ F–77°-80° C). Pour the custard through the mesh strainer into the bowl with the cream, removing the vanilla bean. Stir in the vanilla. Let cool slightly, then cover top surface with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely chilled. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. If you want a different flavor, omit the vanilla bean and vanilla extract. I always add a liqueur to my ice cream to make it easier to scoop, generally one or two Tablespoons, depending on how soft I want it. I use Cointreau in strawberry ice cream, but if I am making vanilla, I add Frangelico or Amaretto. If I am making chocolate, I may add chocolate liqueur, Kahlua, coffee liqueur (mine is from New Orleans), or any nut liqueur. In addition to Frangelico and Amaretto, I also have Noce, walnut, pecan, and Cassis liqueurs. I would never add vodka to ice cream, although it would make the ice cream softer. I generally add the liqueur to the freezer when it is about half way through freezing. *Note: I never add salt to any ice cream that I make, not even a pinch. If using a bitter chocolate, I might add a pinch, but usually I do not, and I prefer it without.