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By Lyle Hillyard
Senator, District 25

The other evening, as I was helping my wife go through our storage to find a special Christmas decoration, I saw our old ice cream maker packed away. As a boy, our family would make homemade ice cream using a hand-turned maker. Everyone would take a turn spinning the handle until they became tired. It seemed like hours, but slowly the churner got more and more difficult to turn until dad would call the process to a halt and the great joy of opening the canister and devouring the treat would begin.

This process was repeated by my wife’s family so, years ago, she insisted we get an ice cream maker. I was far more supportive when I saw that they now made electric ones. We have had a great time over the years with our children in deciding what type of ice cream to make and then working on the process together. We would listen as the churn became more and more labored until it almost came to a stop and we could rush in to pull out the beater (everyone always had spoons to make sure it was cleaned properly and nothing was wasted). Then we would pack-in the canister with more salt and ice so the ice cream would harden. My favorite was always pineapple but the chocolate chip was a close second. Now that the children have gone, it seems easier to drive the few blocks to USU Dairy and buy that great Aggie Ice cream. But the old way was so much fun as everyone worked together to make a great treat.

Growing up, I also enjoyed helping my mother make fudge, divinity and other goodies every Christmas season. My favorite was pulling taffy. While it was still warm, I had to scrub my hands and cover them in butter so the taffy would not stick. I would stretch and pull the taffy before it cooled and make long, snake-like strands with the knife mark every few inches so the pieces would be easier to break off.

Baking has always been a great Christmas tradition in my life. May you all enjoy great treats this holiday season!

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