Winter Mixed Berry and Citrus Sorbet

It's the end of January.  We are all tromping through the frosty winter months.  The anticipation of light and color becomes uppermost on our minds.  

In moving away from the heavier desserts of the holidays, lighter choices are desired and so we thought - how about sorbet - why not in the middle of winter?

I am still tickled by the array of fruits that continue to dress the shelves of the stores here.  They are now coming from the south - Latin America and South America. 


Grapefruits and oranges are jostling for the starring role here. They are beautiful, sweet, and certainly accepted as we all seek to lighten up our menus and waist lines.

It was these strawberries that caught my eye the other day.  For some reason sorbet came readily to mind.  I was tickled by how sweet the strawberries tasted.


However, I didn't want to overlook the citrus fruits that are beckoning to be recognized and appreciated.

So I thought I would add a few oranges into the berry mixture.  I had some beautiful grapes on hand as well so in they went as the idea grew for a wintery sorbet.

How fun and refreshing to bring some color into our desserts at this time of year.  We are swinging here from skies of deep sulky grey to days glimmering with bright January blue.

Searching for color and vitality in these wintery landscapes can aim to prove gloomy,  but in peering closer at this earthly fabric, diminutive snippets of beauty can assuredly be discovered.

Wintery sorbet.  Pleasant and exuberant to the eyes and palate.  Citrusy fruit is a wintery delight that should be celebrated and appreciated.  


What a pleasant tease during this long  winter stretch.  Before  we know it,  tiny peeps of spring will be nudging their way to the front again.

Mixed Berry Sorbet
(Makes 4-6 cups)


Ingredients:
3 cups fresh or frozen mixed berries of your choice (I used 1 c. strawberries, 1 c. blueberries, 1/2 c. grapes, and 1/2 c. orange segments)
1 cup sugar
2 cups water
zest and juice of one lemon


Directions:
In a medium saucepan set over medium high heat, place the berries and the rest of the ingredients in a large pot and bring to a quick boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely. Puree until smooth in a blender or food processor and then strain (Snippets Notes:  I don't strain ours because I like the tiny chunks) through a fine mesh chinois (strainer). Process in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions.  I made my sorbet in the afternoon and we had to freeze it overnight for it to really set properly.