Sorbet Therapy

I feel very fortunate to have been able to spend this weekend mentally regrouping in Ancram, SoCo (in a wonderfully air-conditioned home with a feed of the NBC and BBC Olympic coverage!). 

I am writing this as fast as I can in a thunderstorm that threatens to knock out power any second.

I took the opportunity to make three different sorbets today using local flavors -- loosely adapted from Epicurious and other foodie/cooking sites that came up on Google.

1. Lime Fawlty Sorbet

Basil is growing like a weed right now.  Well, it is at the local farm where we pick up veggies every Saturday morning.  Here's the recipe.

2 cups simple syrup (1 cup water, I cup cane sugar)
20 large basil leaves
3/4 cup lime juice
1/3 cup Core Vodka (local vodka made from apples with distinct flavor.  Any vodka will do)

After bringing the water and sugar to a boil, take the solution off the heat and add shredded basil leaves.  Put the mixture in the freezer for a half-hour, or until cold, and then strain to remove leaves. 
Add lime juice and vodka and blend in an ice-cream maker until firm.  When making sorbets, I sometimes heat the vodka to reduce the alcohol which slows the setting of the sorbet.  But at this concentration is isn't necessary.  Good result.  The flavor is sharp, almost ginger-like, and is fantastic on seasonal fruit salad.

2. Buckwheat's Watermelon Sorbet

The local watermelons are really good at the moment.  They are very seedy, which is a pain, but the sweetness and color are exceptional.  Here's the mix.

1 cup simple syrup (1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup cane sugar)
8 cups of seeded watermelon
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup of Campari

Make the simple syrup and chill the solution.  Seed 8 cups of watermelon and put the pieces in a Cuisinart with simple syrup, lemon juice and Campari.  Whizz it until you get a very smooth soup.  At this point you need to move fast.  It you don't immediately transfer the liquid to the ice-cream maker, it will start siphoning out through the space between the blade and the bowl.  I find this happens making gazpacho in the Cuisinart, also.  Let the ice-cream machine do it's thing until the sorbet looks like a very firm slurpy.  If you let it go too long the water will freeze and separate making it granita-like.  Either way, it's really refreshing, if a little bland.  It works well if you are making more than one frozen dessert as a companion flavor.

3.  Columbia County Cuke Sorbet

Two local elements in this one.  Basil and cucumber.

2 cups simple syrup (1 cup water, 1 cup cane sugar)
20 basil leaves
2 large cucumbers
1 lime (for juice and zest)

Make the custom simple syrup.  After bringing the water and sugar to a boil, take the solution off the heat and add shredded basil leaves. Put the mixture in the freezer for a half-hour, or until cold, and then strain to remove leaves.  Add the zest and juice of a lime.  Peel and remove the seeds from the cucumbers.  Pinch of salt and then into the Cuisinart until you have a smooth soup.   Place in an ice-cream maker and again, don't leave it in there too long.  You do need that much sugar to make a sorbet texture.  Result:  The cucumber flavor really comes through and the lime and sugar balance each other well.  Great palate cleanser.  Would also be fun floating in a gazpacho.

Conclusion.  Anything can be sorbeted (pronounced saw-bayed) and I would make these three flavors again.

The Obscure Series

Thanks to Rob Tannenbaum for finding this link.  Here's the copy:

Obscure Records was a U.K. record label which existed from 1975 to 1978. It was created and run by Brian Eno, who also produced the albums (credited as executive producer in one instance). Ten albums were issued in the series. Most have detailed liner notes on their back covers, analyzing the compositions and providing a biography of the composer, in a format typical of classical music albums, and much of the material can be regarded as 20th century classical music. The label provided a venue for experimental music, and its association with Eno gave increased public exposure to its composers and musicians.

Obscure Records

Roxy Music Love is the Video Remix

ROXY MUSIC Everything from the studio officially released

CD1: Roxy Music

1. Re-make/Re-model
2. Ladytron
3. If There Is Something
4. 2HB
5. The Bob (Medley)
6. Chance Meeting
7. Would You Believe?
8. Sea Breezes
9. Bitters End

Bonus Tracks:

10. Virginia Plain
11. The Numberer

CD2: For Your Pleasure

1. Do The Strand
2. Beauty Queen
3. Strictly Confidential
4. Editions Of You
5. In Every Dream Home A Heartache
6. The Bogus Man
7. Grey Lagoons
8. For Your Pleasure

Bonus Tracks:

9. Pyjamarama (Island Mix)
10. Pyjamarama (Polydor Mix)
11. The Pride And The Pain
12. Do The Strand (USA 7” Mix 3:19) **never been available on CD before**

CD3: Stranded

1. Street Life
2. Just Like You
3. Amazona
4. Psalm
5. Serenade
6. A Song For Europe
7. Mother Of Pearl
8. Sunset

Bonus Track:

9. Hula Kula

CD4: Country Life

1. The Thrill Of It All
2. Three And Nine
3. All I Want Is You
4. Out Of The Blue
5. If It Takes All Night
6. Bitter Sweet
7. Triptych
8. Casanova
9. A Really Good Time
10. Prairie Rose

Bonus Tracks:

11. The Thrill Of It All – 1977 Greatest Hits Edit (4’20) ) **never been available on CD before**
12. Your Application’s Failed
13. The Thrill Of It All (USA 7” Mix 3:20) **never been available on CD before**

CD5: Siren

1. Love Is The Drug
2. End Of The Line
3. Sentimental Fool
4. Whirlwind
5. She Sells
6. Could It Happen To Me?
7. Both Ends Burning
8. Nightingale
9. Just Another High

Bonus Tracks:

10. Love Is The Drug (USA 7” Mix 3:00) **never been available on CD before**
11. Sultanesque
12. Both Ends Burning (7” Mix 3:58) **never been available on CD before**
13. For Your Pleasure – Live **never been available on CD before**

CD6: Manifesto

1. Manifesto
2. Trash
3. Angel Eyes (***rock version***)
4. Still Falls The Rain
5. Stronger Through The Years
6. Ain’t That So
7. My Little Girl
8. Dance Away (***ballad Version***)
9. Cry, Cry, Cry
10. Spin Me Round

Bonus Tracks:

11. Trash 2
12. Dance Away (Single Version)
13. Dance Away (Canadian Extended 12” Mix)
14. Angel Eyes (Single Version)
15. Angel Eyes (12” Single Version)

CD7: Flesh And Blood

1. The Midnight Hour
2. Oh Yeah
3. Same Old Scene
4. Flesh And Blood
5. My Only Love
6. Over You
7. Eight Miles High
8. Rain Rain Rain
9. No Strange Delight
10. Running Wild

Bonus Tracks:

11. Oh Yeah (7” Version) **never been available on CD before**
12. Manifesto (Remake)
13. South Downs
14. Lover
15. Jealous Guy
16. To Turn On You (1981 B-Side Version) **never been available on CD before**

CD8: Avalon

1. More Than This
2. The Space Between
3. Avalon
4. India
5. While My Heart Is Still Beating
6. The Main Thing
7. Take A Chance With Me
8. To Turn You On
9. True To Life
10. Tara

Bonus Tracks:

11. Avalon (7” Single Version) **never been available on CD before**
12. Always Unknowing
13. Take A Chance With Me (7” Single Version) **never been available on CD before**
14. Take A Chance With Me (USA 7” Mix) **never been available on CD before**
15. The Main Thing (12” Single Version)
16. The Main Thing – Remix **never been available on CD before**