Enjoying snow (pudding) without suffering the cold

As I sit staring out of the window on this wintery, snowy day, trying to figure out what to write about, it hits me. Skiing. Not me skiing, I don’t like doing anything I don’t have total control over, and let’s just say, in my few attempts at skiing, I didn’t have total control!

But my husband Jerry has great skiing stories!

Jerry met Stuie Hershkowitz during his last regular season high school basketball game. Both players were the stars of their respective teams — Stuie for HILI, Jerry for BTA. Stuie was defending Jerry and stuck his foot out and somehow Jerry stepped on Stuie’s foot and broke his own ankle. Though not happy about breaking his ankle during his last game, he ended up becoming close friends with Stuie, and years later evened the score with him, though not on purpose.

Jerry was an avid snow skier, and Stuie was an avid water skier. Jerry told Stuie that if he could do one, he could do the other. (Rule Number 1: Do research on your own when Jerry gives you info on sports!)

Stuie brought along a date and when they got to the top of what they thought was an intermediary slope, Stuie’s date gave one look and had to be taken down via snowmobile. Stuie decided the Black Diamond was as good as any place to start — after all, Jerry said it was like water skiing and he was a pro at that.

Before Jerry or his brother Seme could stop him, he barreled down the mountain and they figured he was fine. About an hour later there was an announcement on the loudspeaker, “Will Jerry Joszef please come to the Red Cross station.” As soon as Jerry walked in, it wasn’t hard to find Stuie — he was the one with his head swathed in white bandages ala the soldiers in the World War II movies.

“What happened?” asked Jerry. “What happened, is that you took me to the expert mountain and said it was like water skiing. Let me take this opportunity to tell you Jerry Joszef, that it’s not!” Stuie screamed.

Jerry felt awful and asked if they gave him something for the pain, which they had, so Jerry said since it was a gorgeous day, he would just take another run or two with Seme and then they would leave together. Those of you who know Jerry, know that he has no concept of time … ever. So hours later when he returned to the Red Cross station, Stuie was furious. “You left me here bleeding and bandaged and spent the day skiing?!?” “Wow, look at the time,” Jerry stammered sheepishly. “Is it that late already?”

They got back to Brooklyn, and Jerry took him straight to the hospital to be checked out again, and re-bandaged. Jerry told the doctor to make sure his head bandages looked impressive since he had to take Stuie along to his wife’s (at the time) brother’s party in honor of his graduating dental school.

“Are you kidding me Jerry?” yelled Stuie. “You almost killed me, left me in a hut bandaged up for hours and now you’re dragging me to a party — are you crazy?” Jerry replied, “I know it’s asking a lot, but, I’m really late, I told my wife I would be on time for the party. Your injury looks pretty impressive — it will definitely get me off the hook, come on be a sport.”

So Stuie saved Jerry from surefire trouble and without realizing it got revenge for his broken leg way back in high school.

Now for those who want some snow, but don’t want to bear the cold, try Snow Pudding.

Snow Pudding

8 egg whites

5/8 cup sugar

¼ teaspoon vanilla

2 teaspoon kosher gelatin

2 teaspoon lemon juice

2 cups boiling water

•Beat egg whites well in a mixer until it turns fluffy and doubles in size.

•Add vanilla and lemon juice, whisk well, then add kosher gelatin and water mixture and sugar little by little and whisk well until it triples in size.

•Pour into ramekins or individual glasses or cups and refrigerate for at least 3 to 4 hours. The texture will change as it sets and will become light and fluffy.

If you want to make it a bit more decadent, you can serve it with a custard sauce.

Custard Sauce

2 egg yolks

2 cups of milk

1 cup of sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Place milk and sugar in a saucepan over a low flame. Once dissolved, remove from heat. Add the egg yolks and beat well, and then add the vanilla.

Place mixture back on the stove and cook, stirring constantly until it thickens.

The custard should be made close to serving time.

Judy Joszef is a pastry and personal chef and party planner. She spent 18 years as a pastry chef at venues in the Five Towns, before launching her current business, Soiree. She can be reached at judy.soiree@gmail.com