Scooping up some pleasure

Ice-cream sandwiches: a classic summer treat. Fun, cool, refreshing.

So what if it's not summer? Sometimes a woman just needs something fun, a pick-me-up.

Chilled creaminess jammed between cookies is among the yummiest of snacks, a snack for all seasons. This includes flu season, which seems to have descended upon these parts. Flu time is precisely when one craves the sort of sandwich that's comforting, and soothing to the throat.

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Ice-cream sandwiches

Ingredients:

• ice-cream or frozen yogurt (vanilla works best)
• 2 wafers (try Dare "Simple Pleasures" Chocolate Thins)

Gear:

• butter knife
• foil wrap

Directions:

1. Use knife to smear one wafer with ice-cream. Make filling approx 3/4 inch thick.
2. Plop second wafer on top, forming the sandwich.
3. Run knife around sides, filling any gaps and smoothing uneven edges
4. Wrap sandwich in foil.
5. Place in freezer for a couple of hours.
6. Unwrap, and enjoy.

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For me, it's the contrasts that make this snack super. Crunch vs. smooth; crumble vs. cream; chocolate vs. vanilla.

Also appealing is the simplicity. Prep is a breeze and eating with fingers is liberating.

Should you wish something fancier, you can always serve these sandwiches on a plate, topping them with berry sauce. I go for raspberry, in the President's Choice brand (remember, I'm in Canada), but any high-fruit sauce will do. Be sure to dine with your finest cutlery.

Tip: When preparing more than one — always a fine idea; they'll keep — I wrap each sandwich in its own piece of foil, then pile them all into a freezer bag. Individual wrapping keeps the sandwiches less messy. Plus, there is a certain delight in each person unwrapping her own treat.