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.

Landmarks of Columbia County, NY

The Ancram waterfall