Nectarine Sorbet

Name: Nectarine Sorbet
Yield: makes about 1 quart (1 liter)
Ingredients: 6 ripe nectarines (about 2 pounds, 1 kg); 2/3 cup (160 ml) water; 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar; 1 teaspoon kirsch, or 1/4 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

December 9, 2011

There’s a curious custom in Gascony, a region in the southwest of France known for its full-bodied red wines (its famous neighbor is Bordeaux). When they’ve just about finished their soup, the locals tip a little bit of the red wine from their glass into their soup bowl, mingling the wine with the last few spoonfuls of the broth. I later discovered that this custom is equally good with a goblet of sorbet when I was scrambling to figure out a way to make this rosy nectarine sorbet a bit more special for an impromptu dinner party. I simply scooped sorbet into my guests’ wine glasses at the table and let them pour in as little (or as much) red wine as they wished. It was a big success. If you have time to think ahead, prepare a big bowl of sweet, juicy berries and sliced nectarines, and let your guests add some fruit to their sorbet too.

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