It’s summertime and the sorbet-making is easy. It’s also a bargain.
Making your own ice cream, as opposed to buying it, is fun and rewarding, but it may or may not save you money.
Making your own fruit sorbet definitely will. Especially since manufacturers traditionally charge as much for sorbet as they do for ice cream. This, despite the lower cost of the ingredients and the complaints of customers.
Considering the financial mishegas we’re dealing with today, saving money is no small matter.
With sorbet, you don’t need cream or eggs. All you need is sugar, water, fruit, and maybe an herb or seasoning. Right now both supermarkets and farmers’ markets have lots of fresh, luscious fruits. So it’s the perfect time to play with sorbet.
Use whatever your local farm stand or grocery store is featuring. Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, peaches, cantaloupes, plums – they all make wonderful sorbets.
If you can get fresh currants, they’re good mixed with raspberries. Try adding herbs and spices to the mix. A bit of basil is great with strawberry. The tiniest sprinkle of rosemary adds dimension to raspberries. Pineapples like a pinch of freshly ground black pepper. Peaches and cinnamon are terrific flavor partners. Experiment and have fun.
Here’s a sorbet I like a lot. It combines cantaloupes and port, which go together like … you know. In fact, a traditional dessert consists of half a cantaloupe with a glass of port poured into the hollow center. This sorbet gives you the same flavors in a frosty dish that will make the hottest days cool and comfortable.
Cantaloupe and Port Sorbet
One large or two small cantaloupes, peeled, seeded and cut up, to make 3 cups
Pinch salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup port
3 tablespoons of orange juice
Cut up the cantaloupe and measure. To make a quart of sorbet, you’ll need three cups.
In a blender or food processor, purée cantaloupe with the salt and sugar until the sugar is thoroughly blended throughout the mixture. Add the port and the orange juice and blend.
Chill the mixture in the refrigerator, preferably overnight. Then churn in your ice cream maker following manufacturer’s instructions. Store in a tightly covered container in your freezer. Makes one quart.
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