Moving On.

One more gratuitous wedding picture, this one by Jason Arthurs

So you have a wedding, and you see almost everyone you've ever loved in the same room together, and you go on a honeymoon that trumps every notion of a honeymoon you've ever had, and you come home and do the laundry and put the presents away, and then you think: now what?

For the past few weeks, that's what my mind has been chewing on like an old, flavorless piece of gum. Now what? So far, I've scorched a pound cake, steamed some unremarkable artichokes, and obsessed over which vacuum cleaner might pick up all the funk that our busy road brings through the windows. I've started planning our trip to Maine this summer, approved vacation time be damned, and I've slid into an old, torturous habit of stalking real estate online, specifically farmhouses upstate that we can't afford yet.

I think I need to focus. Not that dreams of farmhouses are bad things -- or dreams of the fire pit we'll build out back, or of the summer parties we'll have with our friends, the dogs roaming the yard like sentries -- but maybe, just maybe, the way to get to those dreams is to focus now. Except that I'm not sure on what. Which brings us back to the question: now what?

Maybe the now what can be answered in quiet small actions, like rethinking this blog. Or maybe I can answer it with boisterous little, tasty, miraculous things like ricotta-honey ice cream. I think that is a good start.

This week, we had friends over for dinner to break in the wedding presents -- new china, wine glasses and pretty silver all call for a celebration, and everyone in the room had good news worth toasting. I was going to make this s'mores pie, but already it's too hot to make marshmallows. (Really, May?) And then I was going to bake this chocolate cake, but it felt too heavy for the proper ending. But then I happened upon a recipe for salted caramel ice cream that I put aside for a less humid day, and that got me thinking about ice cream.

It's been said a million times before, but you don't need an ice cream maker to do this. What you do need is time, and wow, do I have some time on my hands. What I like best about this ice cream, other than its delicate flavor, is how easy it is to make. Assembling the ingredients takes about seven minutes, tops, and then you pop it in the freezer for about six hours. Every hour or so, you take it out of the freezer and stir it vigorously. You'll be breaking up the ice clusters to make it creamy, and the more you do it, the creamier it will be. It doesn't need much help in that area, really -- this has the velvety feel of melted cheesecake, as my friend Jill said. The lemon zest and honey play off each other nicely, and the whole thing combines for a rich but light flavor. We served it with almond thins and fresh strawberries, and don't quote me on this, but I think it was a hit.

Ricotta-honey ice cream
Adapted from The Traveler's Lunchbox
serves 8-10

One very important note: Use the best ricotta you can find. I used an Italian brand from Fairway that was about $9 a pound, and it was heavenly. I think plain old grocery store ricotta would be too grainy, so if you're lucky and have a source for truly fresh ricotta, it's worth splurging on it to make this. And then you might have some left over to spread on a baguette with a little salt and pepper.

500 grams (a little over l lb.) ricotta
2/3 cup milk, not skim
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tsp. lemon zest
a pinch of salt
1/2 cup honey
at least 2 tbsp. powdered sugar, sifted

Using a hand mixer, beat the ricotta, milk, honey, salt and lemon zest together until very smooth (you don't want any lumps in this.) Set aside, and, in a chilled bowl, beat the whipping cream and powdered sugar together until it's sort of shiny, and soft peaks form in the cream. Fold the ricotta mixture into the whipping cream until it's thoroughly combined. Taste for sweetness; I found that it took at least two heaping tablespoons of sugar to reach the flavor I wanted. But remember to start small and add as you go. You can also add more honey if you want that flavor instead. Pour into a freezer-safe container and pop it in the freezer, removing it once an hour to stir it up vigorously. It should take about six hours for it to reach the consistency you want. Serve at will.