Friends, hi!
I’m back from a weeklong vacation to Southern California and can I just say: I am reminded why EVERYONE lives in Los Angeles. The freaking weather is freaking perfect. It’s unbelievable.
Will, baby John, and I spent a few nights at a little beach rental in Manhattan Beach - El Porto, to be exact - a tiny surfer cove with the sort of vibey surf-slash-wine shop that made me think, well yes, maybe I’m just a beachy surfer mom now. We walked to early dinners along The Strand, said hello to every dog we saw, watched surfers glide in and out of the water, and had the sort of mellow family days that felt so easy because no one was trying too hard.
Now I’m back in Texas where the humidity is much more… tangible. Aggressive, really. The only reasonable way forward is sneaking back and forth to the freezer for treats.
Since I’m living by The Summer Bucket List these days, there’s no better time than a return from vacation to make homemade ice cream as a little SOS.
You could say I’m on a peach kick this summer, thanks to the front yard tree I made the majority of my personality after it gave us seven generous peaches. So Peach Melba ice cream from Lokelani Alabanza’s new book, Ice Cream Queen: Flavors from Black America's Past, Present, & Future, felt like the exact right place to be.
Ice Cream Queen is full of ice creams, sorbets, and nondairy recipes that feel both nostalgic and inventive. Lokelani brings history and a pastry chef’s imagination to the ice cream maker, honoring Black ice cream makers of the past while dreaming up flavors that feel very much irresistible right now. My copy of the book arrived while my Dad was in town visiting and he promptly claimed the book for himself, flipping through every page. I’m certain a batch on homemade Buttered Pecan will come from his kitchen soon. Ice Cream Queen is easily one of my favorite cookbooks of the year! Highly recommend.
But today: a creamy vanilla peach ice cream swirled with fresh raspberry sauce and a very generous Breville giveaway because we’re simply not going to make it through the next heat dome without ice cream.
Click below to download the full recipe!
Breville Giveaway!
I’ve partnered with my friends at Breville for a very cool summer giveaway!
One lucky Baked In reader will win a Breville Smart Scoop, the very excellent self-freezing ice cream maker that makes homemade ice cream feel incredibly doable. I’ve churned with this machine and can confirm: she’s fantastic.
To enter, leave a comment below and tell me:
What’s your dream summer ice cream flavor?
The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and will remain open until July 25, 2026. One winner will be selected at random and notified via Substack message.
Good luck, friends. May your freezer be full of ice cream.
xo Joy
