What’s Cooking in Kelli’s Kitchen

I've been thinking a lot about perspective lately.

It started on a drive home from Reno while I was listening to Julie Mason's radio show. She and a reporter from "The Boston Herald" were talking about the unexpected joy Americans have found in watching World Cup visitors experience everyday American life for the first time.

There have been countless stories over the past few weeks. Scottish soccer fans turning Boston pubs into impromptu concerts. Visitors making pilgrimages to Buc-ee's and Costco. A New Zealander trying boiled peanuts for the first time. And yes, an unexpected fascination with ranch dressing.

I have to admit that one made me laugh. During my years at The Slanted Porch, we made ranch by the vat. We used to joke that some people didn't order ranch as a side for their French fries. They ordered French fries as a side for their ranch. I'm still not entirely convinced a few of them wouldn't have happily drunk it with a straw if we'd offered one.

As funny as those stories are, they really aren't about ranch dressing or big-box stores. They're about perspective. Americans are rediscovering parts of our own culture by watching someone else experience them for the first time.

As I listened, I realized I'd seen this pattern before. I see it every time I talk with farmers about agritourism.

One of the things I've found fascinating is how often farmers are surprised that people would actually pay to experience what they consider everyday life. Feeding chickens. Picking vegetables. Watching the sunrise over a field. Helping with chores.

It turns out the same thing is true of communities. The places we call home become so familiar that we stop noticing what makes them special. Visitors don't have that problem. They see the things we've learned to overlook.

By then, my thoughts had wandered all the way back to Fallon. I started wondering whether the things we take for granted here are the very things someone else would remember forever.

This Saturday, I'll be announcing the Fourth of July parade from the patio at the American Legion Hall. Veterans, antique tractors, youth organizations, horses, classic cars, service clubs, kids scrambling for candy, and maybe even a miniature cow will all make their way along the parade route. I'll be introducing many of them as they pass.

But I have a feeling I'll be hearing those introductions a little differently this year.

As our community continues celebrating America 250, I hope we do more than remember our history. I hope we use this year as an opportunity to pay attention. To rediscover a sense of wonder. To see Fallon, and perhaps even one another, with fresh eyes. I have a feeling we'll discover that what makes this place special hasn't changed at all. We simply needed to notice it again.

Kitchen Notes: This week I'm sharing my go-to vanilla ice cream base from Serious Eats. It's simple enough for a holiday weekend and endlessly adaptable. Enjoy it just as it is, stir in local honey, swirl in homemade jam from last summer's harvest, or fold in fresh fruit as it begins showing up from local farms.

Vanilla Ice Cream Base

Adapted from Mike Falkowitz via Serious Eats

INGREDIENTS:

2 c heavy cream
1 c whole milk
6 large eggs
¾ c sugar
Vanilla extract to taste
Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Separate 6 egg yolks into a bowl. Add the sugar and whisk until the mixture is a thick, smooth, and pudding-like pale yellow goo.
2. Whisk in the heavy cream and milk until fully combined.
3. Pour the mixture into a heavy-bottomed pot and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens into a custard. Do not boil! The mixture is ready when it coats the back of a spoon or reaches 170 degrees.
4. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla and salt. Strain the custard to remove any cooked egg bits.
5. Chill in the fridge until cold, preferably overnight.
6. Churn in an ice cream maker according to the machine's directions.
7. Stir in any mix-ins and transfer to a freezer-safe container, then freeze until firm.