berry and buttermilk sherbet

My friends, it is summer. I know, I was surprised, too. But the sun's burning away, darkening tans and making lobsters out of the more fair-skinned of us, evaporating puddles, warming brick patios, and popularizing shady trees and chilled (or even just lukewarm) pools. How do you deal with this? Sunscreen? Wide-brimmed hats? Air conditioning? (We haven't got any). Visiting places (libraries, grocery stores...) where they do have air conditioning? I made sherbet.

And it was tasty, too. I think this is now my favorite sherbet recipe (or iced-fruit concoction of any kind). I've been playing with sorbets for a while, but haven't found one smooth enough to fit my tastes. Sorbets are just fruit; sherbets also have some sort of cream; and as for ice cream, well, cream's in the title. This sherbet was simple to make (three ingredients + one food processor = frozen berry magic) and quite tasty. I left the seeds in because Mum likes her berry confections that way. It has something to do with the crunch of seeds reminding her it actually came from a plant, I think. But if you don't like seeds, they're easy enough to strain out before you freeze it.

The sweet blackberry, sharp raspberry, and the tang of the buttermilk work well together. I really recommend this, especially for a hot summer afternoon.

Berry and Buttermilk Sherbet
recipe by One Perfect Bite
4 C berries (I used 1 C raspberries and 3 C blackberries, frozen. As you can see, it still came out very pink)
1 C sugar
2 C buttermilk

In a food processor, puree all ingredients until smooth. If you want a seedless sorbet, strain out the mixture now through a fine mesh strainer.

Pour the mixture into a metal bowl and stash in the freezer for two hours. After two hours, scrape down the edges and stir the frozen edges into the still soupy middle. Freeze for two more hours, then whirl it through the food processor again. You can serve it now, if you like soft serve sherbet, or you can let it set for another hour or so.