Fresh Pineapple Sorbet

Summer vacations seemed to last forever when you’re little.  Three straight months of running through backyard sprinklers and racing bikes around the neighborhood.  My orange-colored, banana seat bike had flames splashed on the side of it and a kick-stand that always seemed a few inches too short.  It was void of a bell, a basket or tassels that hung from the handlebars.  I used to think, “when I grow up, I’m gonna to get myself a bell, a basket and some tassels for this bike”.  Lofty goals, I know.

Mid-afternoon included a break from the heat for a cool treat from the closest kitchen freezer.  Popsicles were the norm and usually they were freezies. Remember those?  Without fail, someone would end up eating one too many blue ones and have remnants left on their teeth, tongue and mouth for the rest of the week.

Occasionally, if we were lucky, we’d be surprised with individual sized Italian ice containers.  Oh, the excitement!  I remember trying to eat mine as slow as possible in order to prolong the happiness of my taste buds.  I also remember thinking how great it would be if there were other flavors to choose from.  This pineapple sorbet reminds me of those Italian ice containers and would be a flavor I know I would have loved.  Cold, icy, fruity, and sweet.  With only three ingredients and some lightweight blending, I’m immediately transported to banana seat bikes and summers that last forever.

FRESH PINEAPPLE SORBET
Adapted from The Perfect Scoop, by David Lebovitz

Try to find as ripe as a pineapple as you can.  An easy test for ripeness:  if one of the inner leaves comes off easily, it’s ripe.  Or, instead, just take a big whiff and if it smells sweet and delicious, take it.  After you’re hooked on sorbets, don’t forget to try out the satsuma sorbet!

Music Pairing: Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, Summertime

Ingredients

• 1/2 ripe pineapple, peeled and cored (about 2 cups)
• 8-10 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• small squeeze of fresh lime juice (optional)

Method

Slice the pineapple into chunks and puree in a blender with 8 tbsp of sugar and water until smooth.  Taste, then add up to 2 tablespoons additional sugar, if needed.  If the pineapple is fairly ripe, you should be good to go.  You don’t want to add more sugar than you need or the sorbet will end up tasting far too sweet.

Chill the mixture thoroughly, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  Eat right away if you like your sorbet on the softer side.  For an icier treat, leave it in the freezer for 3-4 hours before serving.

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