Margarita Sorbet

I have an aunt who used to drink heavily when she went to go visit her mother in a nursing home. My uncle started buying these margarita mixes that come in freezable pails. All he had to do was add a bottle of tequila and stick it in the freezer. He then would give the bucket to my aunt with a spoon. He said it slowed her down a little bit.

This sorbet makes me think of that. Partly because I was again having trouble waiting for it to freeze firm. What I ended up with is a damnass good sorbet that tastes remarkably like a very very good margarita. I could totally see serving this in a glass with a salted rim (except I like my margaritas without salt). And I completely have my husband to thank for this delicious scoop of frozen dessert. I promised him when I made the ice cream that I would make him some sorbet that didn't have any milk in it. And I'm submitting this one to Mike at Mike's Table for that ice cream event. I LOVE this event!

All it took was 7 limes and a frantic search for tequila that wasn't Patron (Patron in a sorbet is just ridiculous extravagant). We found two bottles of triple sec and a big litre bottle of Jose. It was a learning experience for our marriage. We have a HUMONGOUS stockpile of alcohol. We are a little bit short on the bourbon, but we have a crazy amount of pretty much everything else. I think it's part of being older when we got married. We not only combined 2200 square feet of stuff into a 700 square foot house, we combined bars. It's a little stunning. I think there may be more liquor in the garage too. As the Brain said, "we need to start drinking more." Maybe I'll just make more sorbet and go visit my mother. hee hee hee.

Margarita Sorbet

adapted from The Ultimate Ice Cream Book by Bruce Weinstein

1 1/4 cup sugar

2 cups water

1 large egg white

2/3 cup fresh lime juice (from 7-8 limes)

zest of 2 limes

1/4 cup tequila

1/4 cup triple sec

Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and place over low heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely. Raise the heat and boil the syrup 1 minute. Remove from heat.

In a medium mixing bowl, lightly beat the egg white with an electric mixer until foamy. about 10 seconds. Slowly beat in the hot sugar syrup. Continue to beat until the mixture cools down slightly. Add the lime juice, triple sec, tequila, and zest. Cover and refrigerate until cold or overnight. The mixture will have foam on top, but will incorporate into the sorbet when it freezes.

Stir the chilled mixture, then freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. When finished, the sorbet will be soft but ready to eat. For firmer sorbet, transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze at least 2 hours.