Indian Ice Cream (Sxusem)
Sxusem is a foam made from soapberries, a dessert of Pacific Northwest native peoples that is whipped by hand until it looks like cream. The berries contain saponins, which is why plain juice and water will froth so readily. The taste is refreshing with a slight bitterness, which sweet berries or sugar soften. It was traditionally shared at large gatherings, and it needs only a bowl and a whisk.
Instructions
Crush the soapberries in a bowl until they have released all of their juice. If you are picking them yourself, shake a branch over a metal or glass container so the ripe berries fall straight in.
Measure the juice and stir in an equal amount of water. Use a metal or glass bowl, since oily or plastic containers keep the mixture from frothing.
Add your sweetener. Traditional choices are fireweed, camas bulb, salal berries or thimbleberries, and many cooks now use plain sugar.
Whip the mixture with a whisk until it turns into a thick foam with a texture like whipped cream. Serve it right away, ideally with a wooden spoon.
Make it personal.
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