I have always considered myself quite a nice person. I like food of all shapes, flavours and colours. From every country and continent. I don’t discriminate, I am an equal opportunity eater. It’s only the doctors who say I’m intolerant. And certain foods who refuse to tolerate me. They certainly refuse to recognise and respect my right to eat them without major physical discomfort and distress.


Gluten and lactose are not my friends.


Despite the negative attitudes surrounding me from many of those I love best, (cakes, ice cream, hot toast) I decided to become a chef. Not always easy when you live in a bread and milk filled world. I like to think that this has helped me become a better person as I embrace my differences and refuse to let the gluten get me down. I believe InTolerance. I am the InTolerant Chef.

Food should not be about what you can’t eat, but what you can and what you enjoy eating. This blog is about my journey of cooking and eating and discovery. It’s not a definitive guide to allergy awareness nor do my intolerances make me an expert. Your body is your responsibility, not mine. I only know what works for me.


I can tell you this..... No glutens were harmed in the making of this website.

November 16, 2011

Seasonal Cheer





I really enjoy a grown-up Gin and Tonic.






It's just so elegant, the slight tartness and bitterness reflecting perhaps a jaded, though slightly more sophisticated and realistic view of the world, than the vodka cruisers of our adolescence.

On our anniversary, BigJ and I enjoyed a fantastic degustation menu at one of our favourite swanky restaurants. Now the oysters were great, the pork belly melted in our mouths, but the thing that I actually loved the most was a tiny scoop of sorbet served as a palate cleanser between courses. Maybe because it was such a yummy combination of flavours- Cranberry, Lime and Gin. The tartness and bitterness contrasting beautifully with the sweet iciness to freshen up our mouths, I promised myself I would recreate this icy alchemy at home.


There are a few secrets to a good sorbet.

You want a nice soft scoopable mix. The bigger chunky style ice crystal mix ix a granita, and doesn't have the same silkiness in your mouth that melts away quickly on your tongue

One tip is AIR. The more air you can incorporate into your mix the better. The mix will be light and fluffy and dissolve faster. You can achieve this by either churning your mix in an ice cream machine that constantly beats the mix as it freezes, or by pulling the mix out of the freezer a couple of time during the freezing process to whizz around in a blender or food processor, even just a good whisk will do.
















The second tip is SOFTENING the ice crystals by including some glucose or alcohol, or both. These help stop the mix freezing too hard as both don't freeze easily themselves.





And lastly, SWEETENING. Freezing depresses the sweetness of things. There are probably very interesting scientific reasons behind this, but you just need to know to up the sweetness by about a third. Don't be off put when you taste the mix before freezing it, it really does need that extra sugar to be palatable.



Cranberry Lime and Gin Sorbet



1 3/4 cup Cranberry juice
(thanks to Christie's comp. over at FigandCherry)
1/8 cup Gin
1/8 cup Lime juice

Sugar Syrup
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup liquid glucose







1. Make the sugar syrup by combining the 3 ingredients in a saucepan over high heat and bringing to the boil. Boil for about 30 seconds, or until the mix no longer looks cloudy in the pan. Cool thoroughly.
















2. Combine the Cranberry juice, gin and lime juice. (I know it's bottled, but I can't squeeze fresh ones with my hands in splints) Mix the two together.
















3. Pour the cold mix into an ice cream churner and follow manufacturers instructions, OR put the bowl in the freezer, and popping the semi-frozen slush into a blender or food processor a couple of times as it freezes.
















4. Use a warm spoon to scoop lovely little balls of sorbet and serve in between courses at your Christmas get-together, or as a substitute for a Gin and Tonic before dinner.

That's about the extent of my sorbet wisdom, except to tell you that this recipe is really quite yummy indeed, so I hope you give it a try!


Just don't forget that the alcohol is still all there, it hasn't been cooked out, so watch it and don't offer any to the designated driver at your soiree.


So Dear Readers, what's your favorite Grown-Up drink of choice?






.

23 comments:

  1. now you are just teasing me. G & Ts are one of my favourites!!! Only 16 weeks to go ;)

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  2. Wow, wow, wow! Bookmarked! This is fabulous. We are planning to serve a punk champagne and watermelon granita with oysters this year for Christmas but it looks like we will have sorbet too! G&T is also my drink of choice, can't wait to try this. So glad you got good use from your prize :)

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  3. Thank you for sharing your sorbet wisdom! Now wouldn't that be a great title on a recipe book with sorbets? :)

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  4. Look at you all growed up! This looks like a celebratory drink to me. Or a way to tune out from the Christmas madness!

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  5. ummmm delicious!!! I am SUCH a G&T fan. Perfect summer drink. I always love wine too :)
    Heidi xo

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  6. Yummo!! Love G&T sorbets (sherbets)... I love alcohol and ice-creams to be exact..

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  7. Yum! I'm a bit of a cranberry, lime and mandarin vodka girl myself, but my mum would love your combo with the gin ;-)

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  8. Always liked Gin and tonic and love anything that has been turned into a sorbet.

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  9. Love it :) def a grown up drink but with a childlike twist! Nice!

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  10. Ooooh you have given me a wonderful idea on how to use those frozen cranberries lurking in the back of the freezer!!! Of course with the Thermomix it will be a breeze!!!

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  11. I've just read that Sydney will have temps in the 30s this weekend, so this is the perfect seasonal recipe right now! :)

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  12. Wow! I'd love one of those right about now. That drink/sorbet looks amazing. Happy anniversary..

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  13. I am a gin and tonic fan myself, its my favorite drink. This sorbet sounds delicious and so pretty and perfect for the holidays!

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  14. oh my. If this is not in my freezer by this evening, something is very wrong with me. This just sounds too perfect to miss out on. And interesting tips about making sorbet. Never thought about the sweetness getting diminished by freezing. That could explain why I am never really in love with my sorbets!! ;)

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  15. Nothing says summer to me quite like gin! What a great idea, combining it with the cranberry for the whole Xmas experience. Better keep it away from the kids, though!

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  16. Gin is my favourite spirit however if I take things a little far it does make me cry, but hey! - those days are long and gone. Nowadays I prefer to be more controlled and would definitely love to try this out...

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  17. How completely delicious. Why is it when drinks are frozen, they are so incredibly moreish? GG

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  18. Oh yum that looks very grown up indeed. I am so going to make this. Nothing beats a good gin on a hot day I reckon...and a frozen one with lime and other yummies might just be perfection indeed. Thanks for the tips with sorbets.

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  19. Thank goodness my vodka cruiser days are long gone. Give me tarty sophistication anyday.

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  20. That looks like a very grown up G & T! I love a G & T too but my fave is scotch on the rocks :)

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  21. MMMMM,...What an alternative, festive & lovely dessert! I love the good tips too here!

    Thanks a lot: the dessert looks scrumptious!! ;)

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  22. Well Dear Readers, this was a good idea at the time... that is before the weather dropped about 20* though! What a good thing sorbet keeps- but keeping me from it is a whole other story!!

    Lisa- It doesn't hurt to dream, but you're cooking up is so much more exciting :)

    Christie- Thanks, I had so much fun! I make a cucumber and gin sorbet for oysters, but watermelon sounds delicious!

    Lorraine- Haha! I bet it would be a best seller :)

    Cass- Perfect for tuning out the in-laws for sure :)

    Heidi- Especially a chilled Sav.Blanc!

    Msihua- But I don't think you can have it on a paleo diet, I'll have one in your honour for you if you like :)

    Emma- That sounds wonderful, and I just happen to have some mandarin liquer in the cupboard too....

    Simcha- Me too!

    Nic- Nothing wrong with a bit of fun indeed!

    Cate- Great! They make everything a breeze don't they :)

    Celia- If only the weather could just make up it's mind! I'll make some more if you care to visit :)

    e-news- Thanking you!

    HotlySpiced- I'll save you some if you like! Thanks so much :)

    Carol- Have you tried Hendricks Gin? It's just lovely!

    Kim- I hope it works out for you. You really need to take it futher than you think with the sugar.

    Amanda- Yes, it's way to good to waste on them :)

    Sherilyn- I've only been totally drunk once, and my hubby said I cried all night, Go easy with this one :)

    GG- I think you freeze your tastebuds, so you don't know how much alcohol you've had- but when is that a bad thing? :)

    Spiceandmore- Great, let me know how it goes. No problems!

    Cityhippyfarmgirl- Give me tarty sophistication any day!

    Chopinand- Oooh, maybe a scotch sorbet? It would have it's own 'rocks' :)

    Sophie- Thanks! Nice for a hot day for sure!

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  23. I usually don't drink longdrinks (I'm the dry white wine type of girl ...), but when I do on occasion, it's always a gin tonic. :) Your sorbet looks absolutely adorable! :)

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