Instructions (30 minutes to prepare, under 2 hours to freeze):

• Wash and dry fruit, removing stems, skin/rind, pits/seeds, or spoiled spots. Chunk or slice.

• Combine water and sugar in saucepan and simmer over medium/high heat. Gently stir a few times until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from burner and allow to cool completely.

• When simple syrup is cooled, combine of the mixture with the fruit in a food processor or if you use a stick blender, in a cup. Set remaining half of the simple syrup aside. Add 1-3 tablespoons of Edelbrand vinars. Blend until fruit is completely smooth.Set remaining vinars to the side.

• If you like a sorbet with texture, leave small seeds (found in strawberries, for example) in the mixture; otherwise, strain the fruit/simple syrup mixture using a fine-mesh strainer.

• The level of sugar you use is really important for giving the sorbet that lovely texture. If you don’t use enough, the sorbet will be icy; if you use too much, the sorbet will be slushy and won’t set up. How do you know? The egg knows. Wash and dry an egg; then lower it into the sorbet mixture you just made. If you see just about an inch of the egg surface showing (about a nickel-sized area), you have nailed the right combination. If you see than that, stir in a bit more of your remaining syrup and recheck using the egg. If you see more shell, stir in a bit more water and do the egg recheck again.

• If you have simple syrup left over at this point, it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a month. Just be sure it is in a tightly sealed container. Great for making more sorbets, fruit drinks, or cocktails.

• Add lemon juice, one tablespoon at a time, tasting after each addition until it reaches a flavor you enjoy.

• Choose a freeze-worthy dish (I use a small 8” glass brownie dish; you can use metal also). Pour sorbet mixture into dish and cover. Place in freezer and allow mixture to set. This usually takes about 90 minutes to 2½ hours, depending on your freezer temperature setting.

• When ready to serve, remove and let dish sit out for a few minutes so sorbet will soften. Use a small scoop to create sorbet balls. Splash with the remaining Edelbrand vinars. You can also serve the sorbet with a small sipping glass of the remaining vinars alongside the sorbet! Serve with fresh mint sprigs or for something savory, add a rosemary or dill sprig.4-6 servings.

Variations:

• Try infusing the simple syrup. As it cools, drop in fresh herbs (dill, spearmint, and rosemary are savory counterpoints to the sweetness of the sorbet), a sprinkle of vanilla, cinnamon, fresh ginger, lavender, lemon rind, or cardamom.

• If you like creamier textures, add (at the point of blending the simple syrup with fruit) 1/8 to 1/4 cup heavy cream, coconut milk, or even condensed milk (be light with this one because it is very sweet and can tip your sorbet over into the “way too sweet to eat” side)