![\"Pop,](\"https:\/\/fromabirdseyeview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Pop-Ice-Cream-Fizz.jpeg\")
<\/a>Pop, near 80 years old, still making magic<\/p><\/div>\n
There are many annoying things about Facebook but every once in a while it has a redeeming feature: \u00a0reconnecting with old friends and long-lost family members. \u00a0Such was the case with us this year. \u00a0 We were fortunate enough to find three cousins with whom we’d lost touch. \u00a0Or maybe they’ve been avoiding us. \u00a0In any event, we’ve had fun exchanging old family photos and sharing stories. \u00a0Our cousin,\u00a0Tracy Nutting Sanborn,\u00a0<\/strong>reminded me that one of her favorite holiday traditions was our dad’s Christmas morning ice cream fizzes. \u00a0Or as he called them, “The Good Fairy Fizzes”. \u00a0In any event, in the spirit of the season, I am sharing a bit about the fizz and Pop’s famous recipe.<\/p>\n First, it’s important to understand that Christmas Eve at our parent’s house was always a rollicking affair. \u00a0Mom put out a buffet spread mid-afternoon and people began to arrive in droves. \u00a0Tons of their friends plus dad’s cousin and his family were there every year. \u00a0As we kids got older our friends would escape their sedate family gatherings to party at the Sparrow house. \u00a0There was always lots of laughter, joking, singing, and a virtual river of alcohol. \u00a0Somewhere in there we always opened our gifts. \u00a0Because we needed to get to some religious service at midnight, you ask? \u00a0Au contraire<\/strong>. <\/em>\u00a0It was because the next morning our paternal grandmother, along with Tracy, her parents and her siblings would arrive for Christmas breakfast. Now that I am older I look back on that tradition and think our parents were out of their minds. \u00a0The last of the Christmas Eve guests generally didn’t leave until the wee hours of the morning. \u00a0And then promptly at 10 o’clock, our relatives would arrive for breakfast. \u00a0And this was no Chinet paper plate<\/strong> or Red Solo Cup<\/strong> affair. \u00a0For some reason our mother was a bit intimidated by our grandmother. \u00a0Even after 30 years of marriage and, I might add, producing three spectacular grandchildren. \u00a0So we had to haul out the\u00a0Wedgwood china and the good silver every Christmas morning.<\/p>\n Your authors, Christmas Eve 1971<\/p><\/div>\n Just imagine for a moment our mom, probably with a bit of a headache and definitely with too little sleep, up at the crack of dawn to make a three course breakfast. \u00a0Our dad, always\u00a0the peacemaker in the family, tried his best to help but honestly, anything even remotely near the kitchen was not his strong suit. \u00a0So one year, after tasting an ice cream fizz at a friend’s house, he decided the drink was just the ticket<\/em> to liven things up on Christmas morning. \u00a0He said he put his own “spin” on the recipe, which I think means that he added just a pinch more gin. \u00a0Whatever he did to it, the result was magic! \u00a0Suddenly, after just one glass of Pop’s Ice Cream Fizz,\u00a0<\/strong>the world (and in particular, our mother) was in a happier place. \u00a0So as a public service, just in case you find yourself in need of some Christmas cheer, here is Pop’s recipe:<\/p>\n POP’S CHRISTMAS ICE CREAM FIZZ<\/strong><\/p>\n Fill a blender 1\/4 full with ice cubes<\/p>\n Add 6 jiggers of gin<\/p>\n Add 4 scoops of French Vanilla ice cream<\/p>\n Add 1 small bottle of soda water (the size you get in a 6-pack)<\/p>\n My brother Bob adds an egg so the white adds some froth, brother Jack doesn’t add an egg. \u00a0Personally, I’d add it just because you can then claim it’s a protein drink.<\/p>\n Just blend it well and –\u00a0voila –\u00a0<\/em>you have a concoction sure to put a rosy hue on everyone and every thing!<\/p>\n Our mom served them in a wine glass with a dash of nutmeg. \u00a0As we got older we would conspire with Pop and ditch the wine glass for \u00a0a chilled beer mug from the freezer. Saved having to go back for seconds…or thirds.<\/p>\n We hope you and yours have a very happy holiday season<\/strong> and if you find yourself getting just a bit Scroogy, try Pop’s Ice Cream Fizz. \u00a0It’s a Christmas miracle.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Suzanne Sparrow Watson There are many annoying things about Facebook but every once in a while it has a redeeming feature: \u00a0reconnecting with old friends and long-lost family members. \u00a0Such was the case with us this year. \u00a0 We … read more
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