When Allison left home a few weeks ago I had a couple of dozen (or so) things to help her with, since she was still working full time and trying to orchestrate an interstate move.  In the spare few moments in between, I was trying to come up with a parting gift, or gesture, that I could give to her that she might remember and that might be meaningful to her in years to come.  Not easy.  Then, a few days before she left, we made her favourite ‘choc chunk cookies’ to take to her office farewell and we used our usual secret weapon for measuring them out… Great Grandma’s ice cream scoop.  And I realised, that was the perfect gift.

It was used to serve Great Grandma’s home-churned ice cream and, as far as I know, that was never done in anger!  It attended many happy family gatherings.  I can still see Ali’s Great Grandpa running his finger around the top edge of the churn where the ice cream leaked out, to taste it.  It was one of his favourite things to eat.

Then the scoop moved to the possession of Allison’s Grandmother.  There, it also scooped many delicious servings of ice cream to happy recipients.  When we were all younger (and could afford the calories) I have seen her Grandpa eat enormous bowls of it.  Our family has a genetic love affair with the creamy stuff!

The scoop came to live with us a couple of years ago.  And in addition to ice cream, Ali and I (thanks to Martha Stewart) discovered how very useful it was for measuring exacting amounts of choc chunk cookie dough, and blueberry muffin batter, the results of which we shared with family and friends.  More happiness shared.

So, it seemed the perfect gift to pass on to my daughter who has many years of cooking and eating ahead of her.  She will need it to make those perfect cookies for her new friends and maybe even to scoop ice cream for her children some day.  May it always be used in happiness, or if not, may whatever it is used to scoop be instrumental in soothing her sadness.