With the dog days of summer upon us, it’s a refreshing treat to sit down to a nice cold dish of ice cream. Or maybe an ice cream cone, or ice cream sundae. Our options today for eating ice cream seem endless. As you probably know, this hasn’t always been the case.

In his book Pioneer Sketches ‘Country Style’, Ralph Scott recalls his ice cream making experiences as a young lad in North Dakota. Trying to keep store bought ice cream was not an option in those days, as no refrigeration or freezing of food was available on the farm. So what does one do? Why, you make your own of course!

Ralph reminds us that ice cream making was actually a cold weather activity. One needed ice, along with a good supply of salt. When the first cold snap left a thick coat of ice on the water tank, ice cream for Sunday’s dinner became a real possibility.

The recipe for the ice cream was often a whipped up mixture that included plenty of rich heavy cream. This mixture was put in the freezing can, with the dasher inside and the gearbox clamped in place. Once the space between the wooden tub and the freezing can was filled with ice and plenty of salt, it was time for action!
Cranking the handle of course was done by hand. Help from the family members with this chore went a long way in securing a share of this future ice cold delicacy.

Cranking usually started out relatively easy, as the ice and salt mixture had not yet started its freezing process. When the turning started to get more difficult, and the last few turns required a grunt or two, the ice cream was done. Licking off the dasher inside the container was the reward for the faithful “handle crankers.”
Once complete, the lid was put on, a cork stuck in the dasher hole, and the whole thing was carefully packed in ice and covered with a burlap bag. Aging for a while on the north side of the house, it was opened just a few minutes before dinner.

So the next time you’re enjoying your favorite frozen treat, take a moment to recall those who came before us, who also shared in our love for ice cream.

Scott, Ralph, “Pioneer Sketches, Country Style”, 334 13th Avenue N.E., Jamestown, North Dakota, 1976. p. 80.

Written by Dave Seifert

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