So now that I've broken the ice cream seal, popped my ice cream cherry, let the ice cream out of the bag, idiom idiom et cetera, you're in for it. I made ice cream no fewer than 6 times in two weeks. And since it's summer, I feel compelled to make as many fruit ice cream and other frozen treatments as I possibly, possibly can.

My farm box has been kind enough to proffer local peaches two of the last three times it was my turn (and, thankfully, fewer greens). Those peaches were kind enough to yield a most delicious sorbita.

I call it a sorbita because it was supposed to be a sorbet but ended up with pronounced ice crystals - halfway between sorbet and granita (see ice crystals shot below). I think the farm-ripe peaches had more liquid in them than the peaches ol' David Lebovitz gets in Paris and uses to make his recipes. However, far be it from me to hold that against him.

First, look at the color. I boiled the peaches with the skins on (fuzzies scrubbed off), and the payoff is a crayola-pink peach puree. Could anything that color* taste bad?

And second, in the dead of summer, when you don't have air conditioning, when the cats are sprawling out under the ceiling fan and begging you to unzip their coats... this girl has no problems with granitas.


Peach Sorbita
adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

7 medium, ripe peaches, fuzzies scrubbed off,** skins on
2/3 cup water (less if you want true sorbet)
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon Grand Marnier

Cut the peaches into 1 inch chunks. Cook them with the water in a medium saucepan over medium heat until soft and cooked through - 10 minutes or so. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar. Let cool to room temperature.

Purée 2/3 of the mixture in a blender until completely smooth, then add the Grand Marnier. Add in the remaining 1/3 of the cooked peaches and blend one or two zaps, to make small chunks but not a smooth purée. Cool this mixture thoroughly before freezing according to your ice cream maker's instructions.***

*Anything this color derived of foods with natural origins. Obviously a crayon would not taster very good... although it has been a few years since I tried one... hmmm...
**Gently, people. You don't want to bruise them.
***Based on the Amazon reviews for my ice cream maker, RTFMing is key to making good ice cream.