A classic elixir having historical roots in Ancient Greece, the sorbet really is one of the tastiest and most refreshing summer beverages that can be made in all sorts of ways.
The drink is becoming ever more commonplace, when it comes to summer recipes. To impress your friends and family, all you have to do is let your imagination run wild! And yet, even when dealing with a classic, you can find optimal decisions and interpretations and then enjoy your success.
From caves filled with snow to the Sun King's courtyard
The origin of its name is controversial, even though it is believed that it was highly widespread during the Middle Ages as a sort of mimic of the sound one makes when sipping on a beverage. But the earliest story began a long time before the sorbet, with the poet Simonides of Ceos writing in the 5th century BC that the Greeks would store snow in caves, isolating it with layers of straw and then using it in the summer to ease off the heat waves and have something cool to put in their drinks.
But the historical trail continues to the Arab world, where in a cookbook from 1226, created by Muhammad al-Baghdadi, there is a a recipe titled "sherbeth". The first written recipe for Italian sharbat appeared in 1570 in a work by Scappi. Francesco Procopio Cutò, a Sicilian, got all of Europe talking about it after his opening of Café Procope in Paris, where even Louis XIV, the Sun King, consumed "frozen water".
Sharbat, sorbet or ice cream?
Sorbet is considered to be the precursor to ice cream and is made with water, sugar, juice and/or fruit pulp. Sorbet contains no milk, which is one the main components of ice cream. When talking about sharbat, at least 50% of its contents are expected to be fruits and 20% sugar at most. In exchange for the drink being high quality, its shelf life is short.
Kind of like modeling clay
The drink is simple to make and there's no limit to what can be added to the standard ingredients - just be creative. All sorts of combinations are possible. A refreshing and cleansing sorbet usually has grapefruit. It's exceptionally easy to make: just blend the fruit and add a little sugar. Freeze in the freezer and then consume. The sugar, besides as a sweetener, serves as an ingredient that aromatizes.
Sharbat with apples and ginger
Slice an apple, sprinkle it with lemon juice and freeze overnight. Make a warm syrup from water and sugarcane sugar, add ginger and cinnamon, let it simmer for 5 min. Next, put everything in a cocktail mixer, add the apples and shake it. Leave the liquid in the freezer. Stir periodically and then it's ready. Sharbat with apples and ginger, a very creative spin on the classic with an exotic aroma! An interesting recipe with which to impress your guests.
And even with dark chocolate
Of course, summer isn't recommended for making sorbet with dark chocolate. But for those who are addicted to chocolate, this sharbat is a real treat! Simply add vanilla and powdered cocoa and don't forget that chocolate, if dark, and pure cocoa, have antioxidants that stabilize blood sugar. As well, it can bring a smile to your face and has the effects of an antidepressant.
Sharbat for everyone
There are many ingredients that can be used. These include seasonal fruits that are rich in vitamins, fiber and sugars; an example includes sorbet with strawberries or peaches. You can also add herbs - melissa, basil, mint, which create a good mood in the kitchen all around. Sorbet with lemon and basil is absolutely phenomenal! Refreshing and healthy, a classic!
