Strawberry Sorbet

You may have heard all my whining and complaining about it being mid-June and I was still without a local strawberry.

Unable to get into the Wednesday farmers market, I took a short drive to Pineland Farm.  This gem in the rolling hills of New Gloucester is a 5000 (that's right - five thousand) acre working farm, a business campus, an equestrian center and outdoor recreational facility (snowshoeing! mountain biking! tennis!).
And it's all non-profit.
But that's beside the point.

The point being - strawberries.

Fresh, local, sweet strawberry perfection.
Trying not to be too gluttonous, I only bought two quarts.
The first quart was eaten as is, which is the way the first berries of the season should always be eaten.

What to do with the second quart?
Something simple, that heightens the berry flavor.
I was very tempted by The Amateur Gourmet's Strawberry Shortcake, but since I wasn't having any company, I was afraid I'd end up eating the whole thing myself.
I'm thinking of making it for the Fourth of July though.

I looked to my cookbook shelf and spied The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz.
Last summer I made an amazing gelato from this ice cream creation bible and it was, without a doubt, the best thing I ate all summer.

His recipe for strawberry sorbet looked like another winner.
And it was.
Not just because it tasted like the very essence of strawberry-ness, frozen. But also because it was so easy and quick that absolutely anyone with an ice cream maker could produce it handily.
Thank you David - you are an ice cream (and sorbet) genius.

Strawberry Sorbet
from the Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz


1 lb. fresh strawberries, rinsed and hulled

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

pinch of salt

Slice the strawberries (if they're large) and toss them with the sugar in a medium bowl. Stir until the sugar starts to dissolve. Cover and let stand for one hour, stirring occasionally.

Place strawberries and their liquid in the bowl of a food processor, or blender. Add lemon juice and salt. Process until smooth.
Return mixture to bowl and place in refrigerator until very cold, about 2 hours. Then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. To make the sorbet firmer, store in a plastic container in the freezer for several hours.