Play in It, Throw It, Now Eat It!

If you're looking for a sure-fire recipe for winter fun, just sprinkle on a little snow.

A born and bred Floridian, I had few opportunities to hurl snowballs. Still, when my family moved to Indiana for a year when I was 4, I had one winter in which to throw, sled on, and roll in snow to my heart's delight.

What I most remember (besides one particularly spectacular sledding run when my mom, dad, and I schooffed down a hill and spun clear across a pond in what amounted to a big aluminum salad bowl) was eating the stuff.

As any kid can tell you (and some adults may admit), snow makes good eating. And I'm not just talking about catching clumps of the white flakes on your tongue and letting them melt and trickle down your throat. You can create all sorts of icy treats with snow.

To make these recipes you need fresh, clean snow. I recommend putting a bucket or large bowl outside during the next snowfall. That way you are guaranteed a good crop of flakes.

Snow Ice Cream

1 small package instant pudding, any flavor (experiment to see which flavor you like best)

1 to 1-1/2 cups sugar

2-3/4 cups cold whole milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 quarts (12 cups) clean snow

Mix the pudding and sugar with milk and vanilla. Stir in the snow. Serves 12 to 15 people.

Sugar on Snow

For this recipe, you need snow, maple syrup, an accurate thermometer, and help from a parent. Heat medium or dark amber pure maple syrup in a pot to 234 degrees (one cup per person). (Sorry, Mrs. Butterworth's won't work!)

Then pour the hot maple syrup with a ladle onto packed snow. It will harden into a sticky, taffy-like sweet that you can twist onto a popsicle stick and eat.

You can either pour the syrup in long strips or dribble it in pretty patterns on the snow.

Recipe courtesy of

The Parker's Maple Barn, Mason, N.H.

Snow Slushies

Mix one can of concentrated lemonade or fruit punch (add just enough water for desired thickness) in a pitcher with a quart of snow for homemade slushies Serves four to six people.

Rule of thumb with all these recipes: Serve immediately and eat fast!