Strawberry Basil Sorbet

Rating: ****
Nickname: You Say BAY-sil, and I say BAA-sil....

I don't usually go for sorbet myself, but this recipe from Scoopalicious looked very intriguing. So Cheryl and I made a batch to take to Cathy's 4th of July picnic.

It's one of those flavors that keeps you paying attention. You can't just go on autopilot, "Yep, I'm eatin' strawberry, yep.... whoa! Basil!" So it's kind of fun in that way.

The one thing I'd add to the recipe is that it's probably worth straining out any remaining basil leaves before you freeze it. At least, my immersion blender couldn't really catch them all, so instead they clumped up in the ice cream maker and had to be picked out later.

Pear Rosemary

Rating: ***
Nickname: Rose and Mary make a great pair

This was one of Cheryl's ideas. It's actually a neat combination, though I'd adjust the proportions next time. Turns out you taste the rosemary much less after it's been frozen. The pear flavor could also have been stronger. So here's the recipe we made, with my guesses at appropriate adjustments.

Peel and chop:
2 pears (make this 3)
Mash together with:
1/4 c. sugar (could perhaps be less)
Cover and let sit in refrigerator.

Heat to nearly boiling:
2 c. cream
1 c. milk
1 t. chopped dried rosemary (try doubling this)
Turn off heat and let steep for 10 minutes or so.

Whisk together:
2 eggs
3/4 c. sugar

Remove the rosemary from the milk with a strainer, and discard.
Combine everything.
(If you like pear chunks, leave as-is. Or you could try pureeing it in a blender to smooth it out.)
Churn and freeze in the ice cream machine.

Honey Lavender

Rating: ****
From this Epicurious recipe.
No sugar, just 2/3c honey.
2t dried lavender flowers.
Steep flowers in hot cream for 15 min. then strain.

I used milk instead of half-and-half, also didn't measure the lavender.
Came out very soft and creamy. Mom's favorite so far.

Lacey and I made this with lavender we picked in Portland and dried on the dashboard of the van on the drive back to California.