It’s February. In some places, places I once called home, ice is caving in roofs or at least causing husbands to work up a sweat trying to prevent it from ruining the careful work of partners or newly-built kitchens. In Oregon, the sky should be a steely gray, gushing with sweet fertilization for a summer’s bounty of juicy berries and gleaming tomatoes. Instead, for the past week, there have been few days where even one cloud dared to appear, and the streets are filled with bike riders, myself included, eager to soak up the rays and admire the billowy, blushing buds that are already popping out on the trees. Soon, the sweet smell of cherry blossoms will fill the air, and pear petals will fall like snow without the cold. Did I mention there are still over three weeks until spring?
So, I’m so sorry for my fellow New Englanders, but I’m enjoying living her in the Pacific Northwest at the moment, and have baked something up to prove that, even if your driveway is currently lined with six feet of chilly flakes, spring picnics and summer boat rides, and their accompanying ice cream, lemonade, farmers markets, and other delicious treats, are all on their way.
I don’t know about you, but, just as with my favorite first signs of winter’s end, I think there is no taste of late spring and early summer like a juicy, sweet, shiny cherry waiting to pop its juices inside my mouth. This dessert makes a star out of this prized fruit of the lands around here, while giving it a hint of lush green forests with the licorice freshness of tarragon (an herb I’ve become a bit of a fanatic about). A generous dose of floral, smooth vanilla, a hint of tart marionberry and the zing of lemon helps everything bloom, while a secret ingredient called Moringa keeps everything healthy.
What’s Mooring you ask? It’s a new superfood, sold by Kuli Kuli, and found to be rich in vitamins, essential amino acids for protein, and a unique taste is a combination of green lettuce flavo•r, anise, and green tea. It’s the perfect way to bring out the nuances of the tarragon and compliment the fruit.
And thus, I’ve created one of what I hope to be a collection entries to Kuli Kuli’s recipe contest, Classy Cherry Shortcake. This is definitely not child’s play, but it’s delicious!
Cherry Sorbet
Ingredients
- 454 g. (1 lb.) frozen pitted cherries
- 150 g. (3/4 cup) evaporated cane juice
- 1 Tbsp. Moringa powder
- 28 g. (2 Tbsp.) lemon juice
- 28 g. (2 Tbsp.) Aquavit or vodka
- 1/4 tsp. salt
Instructions
1. In a high-speed blender, combine all ingredients and blend on high speed for 30-60 seconds, or until smooth and creamy.
2. (Alternatively, you can start with fresh or thawed cherries, blend the ingredients in a standard blender until as smooth and pureed as you can get it, and freeze in an ice cream maker prepared according to manufacture’s directions).
3. Transfer the sorbet to a covered container and place in the freezer for at least 2 hours, until scoop-able (the alcohol in this sorbet keeps it malleable).
