The conversation went like this...
Shango: I'm not as obsessive as you.
Me, shocked and appalled: What?!?!
Shango: Who made 15 kinds of ice cream in one weekend?
Me: Oh, that....
Shango gained momentum: Who took classes in charcuterie, begged to stage at a charcuterie shop, and made 5 kinds of sausage in one day?
Me: Okay, I get it. (I decided now was not the time to bring up the fact that I also had Jerry Traunfeld's pork belly recipe AND the recipe for Maria Hines' mushroom sausage.)
So call me obsessive....
And David just added fuel to the fire:
David Lebovitz's "The Perfect Scoop"
My book arrived just 3 weeks ago...and I can honestly say, I've turned into a one-woman-ice-cream-social! Over the weekend, I make batches of ice cream...and I've been showing up all over town with little containers..."Here TRY this..."
Yes, I'm developing quite the reputation!
So far, I've made:
* Lemon Buttermilk Sherbet
* Lemon Sorbet
* Avocado Ice Cream
* Strawberry Frozen Yogurt
* Peach Ice Cream
* Coffee Frozen Yogurt
* Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream
* Chocolate Sorbet
The funny thing is, David's recipes are so unbelievably easy, I can't help myself! (What's the definition of obsessive anyway???)
As I churn batch after batch of frozen goodness, Dana's advice sticks in my mind:
"Just remember, fat masks flavor."
So if you're playing with summer fruits...and you really want that just-plucked-flavor, go for a sorbet. Removing the fat makes other flavors shine too. In fact, David's chocolate sorbet was a revelation to me. There's no dairy...just water, sugar, coco powder, vanilla and a bit of chocolate. And yet it delivers such a big chocolate flavor, it silences my chocolate cravings like no other.After making tons of ice creams last summer...working my way through everyone from Emily Luchetti and Claudia Fleming, to the here-and-there recipes appearing in various cookbooks....I can honestly say, if you buy one ice cream book...David Lebovitz's "Perfect Scoop" is THE ONE.
Just be warned: As you slurp and savor the frozen deliciousness, obsessive tendencies may occur!
