The more I know about food, the less I know.

I mean, who knew in order to make homemade vanilla ice cream, you had to cook the custard twenty-four hours in advance?

Sigh.

Please indulge me while I offer up a slice of backstory.

I was attempting to make banana ice cream for Elvis and his grandson’s Erik’s twenty-fifth birthday, and since I didn’t have the original salt and crank method, I at least knew I needed to start with a vanilla ice cream base. Note: I waited to make said ice cream on the day we invited Erik for burgers and ice cream, (yes, seriously) after I listened to Elvis the previous day warn me not to give him any excuses why I didn’t make said ice cream, please and thank you.

I remember reading a post on David’s blog, (you know David Lebovitz, The Sweet Life in Paris David?) about how everyone should have a good recipe for vanilla ice cream. Side bar: Where was I when those recipes were handed out?

Anyway, that’s when I discovered the twenty-four hour ahead step in the recipe. So of course I scoured the Internet for other recipes and sure enough, that twenty-four hour ahead step is not really a step but the RULE for making custard for vanilla ice cream.

So off I went to the market determined to make do, which is what life is about anyway, isn’t it?

I was pleasantly surprised to find a caramelized banana tart filling on the shelf. Refer to my first sentence please.

One 23-ounce jar of banana fruit tart and $12.00 later, I had a plan.

How to Make the Best Banana Ice Cream

Buy a quart of vanilla bean ice cream, swirl in ¼ cup banana tart filling, add one sliced, very ripe banana, and about a dozen crushed vanilla wafers. Then plop the runny concoction back into vanilla ice cream carton and freeze to create the best banana ice cream.

Elvis’s expression? Priceless.