It promised to be a delicious chocolate mocha ice cream. However, it met a frozen-solid plot twist at my home bistro —and gave me insights on how to become a better chef.

I am happy to say that especially with Big Daddy’s help, fiascos are few. When they happen, though, they make for a great story. As a journalist by profession, I appreciate that.

First off, this one was definitely not Big Daddy’s fault.

How was he to know I didn’t know enough to turn on my ice cream maker?

I had just made ice cream, successfully, two nights before. Somehow, that evening, I must have gotten it right. The deal is, you switch on the ice cream maker so the canister is turning. Then you pour in your not-yet-frozen custard.

For whatever reason, this second time around, I just let the machine sit there, and I poured in the mixture.

Then I switched on the machine.

It gave a kind of groan and then just sat there.

Doh!

The mixture had frozen to the sides, locking the canister in place and bringing dessert production to a halt.

Two morals to this story:

First, turn on your ice cream machine before you pour in your custard.

Second, whenever you make ice cream, have a second dessert idea in reserve. Something simple in mind. Strawberries topped with whipped cream. Strawberries by themselves. Apple slices sauteed in butter and topped with cream or cinnamon. In winter, a cup of hot chocolate. A couple of cookies. Something.

Because ice cream can be iffy. A host of things can go wrong.

In this case, we fell back on a selection of liqueurs. A Mozart chocolate liqueur, a classic bottle of Amaretto diSaronno, and a fig liqueur made their way to the table. Three tiny shot glasses, and we all had a sip or two.

The canister went into the fridge, to thaw over the next couple of days.

Right now the mixture is chilling again in a bowl, the canister is back in the freezer, and the Blue Hour Bistro is preparing for another churn.

This is how you become a better cook.

One adventure at a time!