Georgia, peaches, and cream
Georgia and the Giant Peach Ice Cream Puff
“Ice Cream Puff”
The sign behind us was simple enough, and I was facing it as Georgia and I sat down for a pow-wow power lunch in the Ocala National Forest. My driving from west of I-75, her driving from east of I-95, we tried to find middle ground at Lena’s, one of my favorite fish houses out near Mill Dam, but today was their day off.
So it was Marie’s Home Cooking, instead, for lunch, a little cafe in Forest Corners that I always knew as Jake’s and hadn’t sampled since the change of owners. Their parking lot was always busy, so I figured it was worth a shot.
Staring at the hand-lettered sign behind Georgia’s left shoulder, I imagined a cream puff full of ice cream, or a pecan ball wrapped in fillo dough. It sounded like a great way to wrap up our meal of homemade tacos and Mexican accoutrements, on special today. Our server had left to pick up a child from school. An older woman – perhaps Marie? – came to our table to clean up.
“What’s the ice cream puff?” I asked.
She smiled. “We make a puff pastry, put a scoop of ice cream in it, and top it off with strawberries.”
Georgia made a face. “I’m allergic to strawberries.”
“No problem, dear,” said our cream puff champion. “We can use blueberries, peaches, whatever you like. All fresh.”
We settled on splitting the dessert, and off she went to the kitchen. After a good bit of time had passed and we were lost in discussion, I looked up and saw the lady who might be Marie approaching with a pie.
“Here you go!” she said.
Georgia and I broke out laughing. This was no pie. Nor was it a puff. It was four times as large as either of us expected. The pastry glistened with a light peach glaze. Fresh peach slices slid down the slippery slope into the whipped cream turrets. Below the pastry and cream, a slab of vanilla ice cream, at least a pint or more, rested.
We tried, valiantly, but just couldn’t finish the mountain of cream, sugar, and peaches. This is a dessert you need to plan ahead for. Bring a table of four when you visit – or just show up with a hearty appetite for sweets.
Marie’s Home Cooking
(352) 625-9555
SR 40, just east of Forest Corners on the north side of the highway
Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (until 9 PM)