Sorbet season at Towerwater

I love sorbets, but never have had the time to make them. A fortnight ago I bought an ice-cream maker and summers at Towerwater will never be the same.

Rose geranium sorbet

As a young boy I loved frozen sorbet. My favourite was a granadilla sorbet that came in the shape of a granadilla and it contained real pips. On a hot summer’s day it was the best treat. Everything around me was hot but my mouth was cold as I licked the sorbet as fast as it was melting. I was careful not to eat a big piece of sorbet because ‘brain-freeze’ must be one of the most uncomfortable experiences, I always thought.

Rose geranium

The most delicious sorbets I have tasted were in Venice, where I particularly enjoyed a variety of berry sorbets. I would always order sorbets, if on the menu, just to explore the restaurant’s approach to their sorbet. All sorbets are not created equal. Even the run-of-the-mill lemon sorbet will taste different from one restaurant to another.

In my sorbet research, I discovered that it is one of the earliest of frozen desserts. I was surprised to find that sorbet was one of the most popular frozen desserts of Renaissance Europe.

Rose geranium

Apparently it was created in the 1st century BC by Romans and Persians. The name and recipe survived the centuries. With new technology, like temperature controlled freezers, it became possible to make sorbets containing alcohol. Such sorbets need to be frozen at a lower temperature.

Sorbet is a frozen dessert made from sweetened water flavoured with fruit, wine or liquor. It has a soft texture.

Lavender

While I was picking the elderflowers for cordial-making, I enjoyed other fragrances of the herb garden as I brushed against the lavender and rose-geraniums. Always looking for more ways to incorporate my edible garden in meals, I decided to make a Rose-geranium sorbet and a lavender sorbet.

Lavender sorbet in progress

Sunday lunch was enjoyed under the oak nearest the herb garden. When I served the sorbets, it was like an enchantment as the fragrance of the herbs transforms into the flavours of the sorbets. Eating the cold treat with its tiny crystals was like eating bits of the herb garden, and even more refreshing than a morning walk through it.

It was a confusion of my senses, experiencing this perfect complement between taste and smell. I have discovered a new way of enjoying my herb garden. The joy of gardening is all over my taste buds, and I love it.

Lavender sorbet

There we were sitting under the oak on a balmy summer’s day enjoying Prosecco and sorbet with fond memories of Venice and Italy. Perhaps I should try making Prosecco sorbet to find out what further memories might be triggered by my taste buds.

Rose geranium sorbet 

There is no doubt in my mind that it is sorbet season at Towerwater, and my garden will be the inspiration. I wonder how lemon verbena, elderflower, pomegranate or quince sorbet will taste. I cannot wait to experiment.