Only in the summertime can you have a ice cream waffle sandwich for breakfast. Only in the summer, only in your own kitchen (because you know your mom and dad didn’t suggest you eat Eggos this way).

E and took a road trip to the country this weekend. It reminded me of the many trips I took with my parents to the country when I was young, driving to Michigan from Chicago in the Jeep Grand Wagoneer up to our farm house. Every Friday, after traffic died down, we’d make that trip around Lake Michigan and get into the house in time for the 11 o’clock news. On Sunday, we’d leave around 7pm, and stop off at a Howard Johnson right about 20 minutes before we crossed into the Indiana for an ice cream cone. By the time we got back into the Chicago radio programming broadcast zone, the urban adult contemporary slow jams radio set known as the Quiet Storm would be on the radio. Smokey Robinson and the O’Jays and Teddy Pendergrass would lull us all into a relaxed state, even while we sat in traffic on the toll road.

Now, Sunday night rituals during my road trips with E is to put on a lengthy Quiet Storm mix and let it play until we get home. This weekend, it helped me stay calm during the two hour ride home, of which 45 minutes was spent sitting waiting for traffic at the Holland Tunnel to clear. And as I sat there, I was obsessed about ice cream. Just like road trips from my childhood.

We finally made it to Brooklyn, unloaded the car, and ran quickly to the deli for green tea and mint chocolate chip ice cream. E quickly scooped out the ice cream, and were settled on the couch—with our ice cream—in time for the 11 o’clock news. Just like my parents used to do.

After such an awesome weekend out of the city, I didn’t want to go to work. The Monday blues had taken over me. Perhaps if I just have a smidge of ice…..oooh, waffles!! Waffle ice cream sandwiches. So easy and so satisfying. And such easy cleanup. I had to try. “You sure you don’t want eggs?” E asked.

Is it a breakfast of champions? No, but I cut one sandwich in half so we weren’t too indulgent. Had I remembered we had waffles the night before, I would have made them then. But they tasted just as satisfying for breakfast. Sigh. Only another week until our next road trip.

by