When you hear the word colostrum, does it conjure a sexy image, or what? Probably half of you haven’t heard the word before and maybe think it sounds a tad clinical. The rest of you have probably had a child, so you know that colostrum is the stuff that oozes out of your breasts before the milk fully comes in.  What in the hell does this have to do with ice cream? Well, cows produce colostrums during calving season too. Technically the first few milkings of a mama cow after her calf has been born are considered colostrum. It’s easy to tell the difference between colostrum and milk, if only from the hue. Colostrum is yellow-orange, and significantly thicker than plain milk. It is so thick, in fact, that it makes a mean custard, and you don’t even have to add eggs.  Its popularity is growing in this country as a health food product, where it’s typically sold in powdered form.  It is said to contain antioxidants and aid in athletic performance as well as prevent illness, though the research seems to be somewhat scant on the subject. 

In British English colostrum is colloquially referred to as “beestings” and a quick online search will reveal a sizable lot of funky old colostrum recipes that date back to the mid 20^th century.  They all sounded fun and quaint, but I wanted to up the ante a touch with my coveted colostrum, so immediately I thought ice cream.  You may be wondering where in the hell I managed to find such a rare thing in its fresh, natural state.  We are blessed in Western Washington to have a slew of artisanal farmers, ranchers and producers who care about providing local, organic foodstuffs to regional consumers. I love that the supply line is utterly transparent in these instances, and in most cases consumers are welcome to visit the farms directly.  If a direct visit is too much of a chore, do not fear.  The ample daily farmer’s markets around the Puget Sound showcase wares from many of these purveyors, including those from Sea Breeze Farm.  I gratefully brought home some Sea Breeze colostrum, happy that a mama cow had birthed a baby the night before so I could reap the reward. 

Since I’ve never played with the consistency of colostrum I chose to run a few experiments in ice cream making.  The recipe printed below was the clear winner, so my time spent is your gain, should you ever wish to play with some colostrum.  I added egg yolks to one version, but that was just ridiculous as the colostrum thickens so much on its own that no added egg is necessary. I also played with a combination of milk or cream for the additional liquid element, and found that (unsurprisingly) cream gave a better texture and richer flavor.  The final ice cream produced is smooth, unctuous, and rich in a way typical ice cream is not. Perhaps it’s a touch thicker and less airy, but the softness makes up for any lack of lightness. 

I rarely make vanilla ice cream. Instead I go for flavors that are more fun to experiment with like the time I made this frozen BLT, or my infamous garlic chocolate gelato.  Because I wanted to note the flavor of the actual colostrum, however, I felt vanilla was an apt choice.  It’s plenty lovely all on its own, but when you can drench ice cream in espresso, why wouldn’t you? This is called an “affogato” in Italian, which means “drowned.”  It’s a right nice way to drown your sorrows at the end of a long spring day, no?  Plus think of all the added health benefits you’re getting from the colostrum! I’d say this is a dessert fit to be eaten regularly if it weren’t for the scarce availability of colostrum. Nevertheless, if you can hunt some down, check this out, you’ll be glad you did. 

Vanilla Bean Colostrum Ice Cream

• 1 Pint colostrum
• ¾ c sugar
• Pinch salt
• 1 Vanilla bean- halved lengthwise, seeds urged out using a paring knife
• 1 c heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place colostrum, sugar, salt and vanilla bean seeds and pod in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a very low boil, immediately remove from heat, cover and let vanilla infuse for ½ hour. 

Meanwhile place the remaining cup of heavy cream in a medium bowl set over an ice bath.  Place a fine-mesh strainer on top. 

After half an hour, slowly reheat colostrum custard, stirring constantly to dissolve and marry all ingredients. Once you reach boiling point, remove from heat and pour through the strainer into the chilled cream.  Add the vanilla extract and vanilla beans, stir, and chill thoroughly before churning by following the instructions on your ice cream maker.  (when you churn, remove the vanilla beans)

To turn this into an affogato, simply drench a scoop or two of ice cream in a shot of fine espresso.  If you want to make an “affogato corretto,” which means affogato corrected, simply add a shot of alcohol to the dessert in addition to the espresso.  Italians will use grappa or whiskey typically, but rum will also work well with this dessert.