Vodka Watermelon Canada Day Sorbet

Our tiny kitchen in this home away from home of ours is rife with tragedies (don’t get me started on this week’s flood), but during the hottest of summer days, perhaps our greatest sadness comes not from the kitchen itself but from our lack of an ice cream maker. True, ice cream with actual cream in it is an evil that must be avoided by Mrs D’s tummy at all costs, but what of sorbets? Soy gelatos? Frozen yogurts? Must I debase myself by buying hideous supermarket products, laden with high fructose corn syrup? No! I won’t have it!

And so, because I long for the real thing, and because Chopper makes it so well, I must sneak off to his place of work every so often and sample his latest concoction.

Last time (back on Chopper Day) it was rum raisin ice cream and my tummy only allowed me the tiniest of bites.

But this time… ah, this time: Sorbet! And not just any sorbet, but the perfect holiday weekend treat of Vodka Watermelon Sorbet in a tuile cup! Oh, hell yum. There’s nothing… nothing at all like homemade sorbet with real fruit, not to mention a good top shelf vodka. It’s not sticky. It’s not cloyingly sweet. It’s just the perfect frozen cocktail refreshment for a warm summer evening.

I dropped by Chopper’s work last night to snag a few photos (and devour this tasty treat) just in time for the Canada Day Ice Cream Event over at sweet pleasure : plaisir sucrÃ©.

(Okay, so Sam at sweet pleasure : plaisir sucrÃ© didn’t actually call it a Canada Day event, but since he’s from Canada and since I am always happy to proudly wave my maple leaf of dual citizenship, I say it’s a Canada Day event! (Which probably means Chopper should have made something strictly Canadian for his sorbet, eh? Ah well, watermelon vodka will have to do. And do quite nicely, thank you very much!)

Vodka Watermelon Sorbet

makes lots

Ingredients

1 6 pound seedless watermelon
6 shots top shelf vodka (Grey Goose, Ketel One, etc.)
2 cups simple syrup
10 sheets gelatin
3 lemons, juiced

Method

Peel and cut watermelon into chunks and puree in a blender, then place in a large mixing bowl.
Make simple syrup and heat over medium low, then dissolve gelatin in syrup.
Add lemon juice, gelatin, syrup, and vodka to the pureed watermelon, and freeze in a gelato machine.
Harden the sorbet in the freezer for at least three hours before serving.

Now, for the tuile cup… sad to say, Chopper tells me it’s a restaurant secret, but I’m sure a wee bit of googling will unearth something appropriately crunchy and sweet! Oh, and don’t forget the sprig of mint on top. Just eat the leaves whole with the tuile, trust me on this. Heck, keep extra mint handy, just in case.

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This entry was posted on Saturday, July 1st, 2006 at 10:39 pm and is filed under food blogging events, recipes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

amanda Says:
July 2nd, 2006 at 4:46 am

there definately needs to be a vodka watermelon usa day because that looks incredibly good. seriously, can i have one! :-)

Cookiecrumb Says:
July 3rd, 2006 at 12:44 pm

“Ah well, watermelon vodka will have to do.”
Good thing, because I think you’d hate a Molson’s sorbet. Er, well… Maybe not, eh?

mrs D Says:
July 3rd, 2006 at 12:51 pm

Amanda, I hereby declare every day of summer Vodka Watermelon USA Day! How’s that? :-)

CC: I think Moosehead Sorbet’s got a wee bit more of a ring to it, but um… yeah.

sam Says:
July 4th, 2006 at 2:29 am

This watermelon and vodka sorbet sounds fantastic. The plating and pictures are also amazing. Thanks again for sharing and participating in the ice cream event!

mrs D Says:
July 4th, 2006 at 11:06 pm

Thanks, Sam, and great round up!