The snowfall to begin the week gives families the chance to enjoy a rare southern treat: snow cream.
Former Overton UT Extension Agent Robbie Melton said the only ingredients are eight to ten cups of fresh snow, a cup of milk, half a cup of sugar, and two teaspoons of vanilla all mixed together. She said that making snow cream is a tradition in the south that has been around for many years.
“It doesn’t snow very often in the south, and not very often does it snow enough that we can gather enough of fresh snow together to make snow cream,” Melton said. “So it was a southern treat for those that didn’t get to have ice cream very often.”
Melton said making snow cream can easily be turned into a family activity by getting your children to gather the snow and letting them help measure the different ingredients. Melton said that small buildings and parked cars are good places to have your children collect fresh snow.
“And not go all the way to the bottom of the vehicle, just what’s on top,” Melton said.
She said the best kind of snow to use is soft, flaky snow, but the harder kind will work well too as long as it is fresh.
“My mother always made snow cream for the kids and it was a southern treat,” Melton said.