Old Uncle Gaylord's Ice Cream

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THE FREEZER

To make your own ice cream, you need a machine not unlike the original one devised by Nan Johnson and improved by Bill Young. There are several suitable freezers on the market.

The tub most often used today is plastic We prefer wooden containers, which give you about 25% mom cooling power But, there have been some recent developments in plastic vacuum-molded tubs with extra thick walls that have been devised to react conductively like wood. These specially thick tubs have the added advantage of being unbreakable.

Notice the hole in the side. Never let it get clogged with ice and salt. As you freeze the ice cream, keep poking your finger into this small hole to permit smooth passage of the brine. It would never do to let the brine seep over the top of the can and into your ice cream.

A wooden tub will possibly leak the first time you use it. After that, the water and salt will swell the wood and create a permanent seal.

Inside the tub, at the bottom, is a spindle. The can rests on this. It must be kept rust-free, dried after each use, and greased fairly regularly.

The crank and gear assembly fits over the can lid and keeps it spinning, turns the paddy and makes the whole machine work. It's a simple mechanism and requires little maintenance other than a bit of oil or light grease semiannually, or whenever it is stored for a long period of time. Again, don't over-oil it or the lubricant will run into your old-fashioned through the hole in the can lid.

The can and lid are usually tin-plated metal. Try not to let the tin be scraped off by using metal spoons and such. Use a rubber spatula to clean out your can and a soft sponge when washing. Never scour it..

The paddle is the heart of the machine. Revolving on its spindle, jogging up and down, this is the mechanism that makes oldfashioned ice cream smooth. The cream nearest the sides of the can freezes first. The wooden, or plastic, scraper blades on the paddle (usually set at the factory to revolve a specific distance from the sides of the can) keep the ice cream from sticking. When you put the paddle into the can, make certain it is seated in the small nub at the bottom.

To be sure all the parts are put together correctly, turn the crank to see that the whole mechanism moves freely without any binding.

How about the ice and salt? Crushed ice is best, small cubes next best. A 5-pound bag of ice should be sufficient to do a small (2- or 4-quart) freezer. Rock salt is available in most supermarkets and grocery mores. If you run short or can't find it, use common table salt It will cost more and may cause a slight freezing problem until you get used to it. But, sodium chloride is still salt, no matter how you crack it.

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