Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well (1891) by Pellegrino Artusi devotes an entire section to icecream, sorbet and granitas without pointing out the difference. For me, sorbet is number one, at least in terms of historicity, because the earliest versions of icecream were simply a combination of iced water and mashed fruit. Today's post was originally inspired by Pellegrino's raspberry ice (gelato di lampone) from his collection of summer fruit icecreams.
My own adventure in the kitchen
I began with lemon juice and then it occured to me that I should paint it with blackcurrant-flavored liqueur. The addition of blackberries that I could pick from my own garden would give the mixture substance. Then I remembered Agnes Bertha Marshall, the so called 'queen of ices', whose best-seller Fancy Ices was published three years after Pellegrino's own. The difference between Italian gelati and their English counterparts around 1900 lies in the additional ingredients that gave Marshall's recipes exotic flavor and taste. Her French blackcurrant sorbet, in particular, was enhanced with a glass of 'Marshall Kirsch Syrup'. It was also brightly colored with 'Marshall Carmine Liquid'. However, I make a point of never using food color, ending up with dull-looking sorbets that I like very much.
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| Jacob Sturm, Ribes alpinum, 1796 |
Why blackcurrants
The cultivation of blackcurrants increased after the War because of their anti-oxydant properties. The liqueur based on this fruit (crème de cassis) has a peculiar flavor and has originally been used for medicinal purposes. Another variety exists (blanc de cassis), which is a mixture of this liqueur and wine produced in a town of the same name, among other places in Southern France. Cassis already existed in the 6th century BC with a port and later with a castle that sheltered its people from invasions. It expanded and flourished since the eighteenth century, mostly based on its production of stone and wines.
The original recipes
- Pellegrino's instructions for strawberry and blackcurrant gelato here.
"Recipe no. 755 - Gelato di fragole. Fragole ben mature, grammi 300. Zucchero bianco fine, grammi 300. Acqua, mezzo litro. Un grosso limone di giardino. Un arancio. Fate bollire lo zucchero nell'acqua per 10 minuti a cazzaruola scoperta. Passate dallo staccio le fragole e il sugo dell'arancio e del limone, aggiungete il siroppo dopo aver passato anche questo, mescolate ogni cosa e versate il composto nella sorbettiera. Questa dose potrà bastare per otto persone. - Strawberry ice. 300g well-ripened strawberries. 300g refined white sugar. 0.5lt water. A big garden lemon. An orange. Boil sugar and water for 10 minutes in an unlidded saucepan. Pass the strawberries through a sieve, as well as the lemon and orange juices. Pass the syrup through a sieve, add to the other ingredients, and pour the mixture into your icecream-maker. This dose serves eight people.
Recipe no. 756 - Gelato di lampone. Il lampone essendo un frutto che, ad eccezione del suo aroma tutto speciale, è quasi identico alla fragola, per gelarlo regolatevi nella stessa guisa ed escludete l'arancio. - Raspberry ice. The raspberry is a fruit that, excepting its unique flavor, is almost identical to the strawberry, therefore prepare according to the strawberry ice recipe excluding the orange juice."
- A. B. Marshall's instructions for French black currant sorbet here.
"French Blackcurrant Sorbet. Sorbet de Cassis à la Française. Pound together one quart of ripe black currants, one pound of fresh black-heart stoned cherries, and the kernels of the same; mix them with six ounces of castor sugar, one and a half pints of cold water, the juice of two lemons, and a teaspoonful of Marshall's Liquid Carmine; rub the purée through a fine sieve or tammy, add to it a wineglassful of Marshall's Kirsch Syrup and a wineglassful of noyeau syrup; freeze it in the charged ice machine to the consistency of a thick batter, then serve it in the prepared iced water-cups (see recipe) or in glasses for a sorbet or for dessert."
Where and how to make sorbet
Both authors suggest using icecream-makers but 'water ice' (sorbet and, especially, granita) could also be prepared without. Note that added liqueur increases the percentage of sugar in the mixture, resulting in a less crystallized mixture.
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BLACKCURRANT SORBET
This version is a cross between the Italian and French recipes, using blackberries instead of raspberries or blackcurrants. Pellegrino's sorbets were made with equal parts of fruit and sugar while A. B. Marshall reduced the amount of sugar in favor of liqueurs. The blackcurrant-flavored liqueur that I used is not as sweet as kirsch or noyeau.
I n g r e d i e n t s
300g mashed blackberries (or raspberries, blackcurrants etc.)
300g caster sugar
500ml water
a garden lemon
an orange
100ml crème de cassis (optional)
M e t h o d
Boil water and sugar. Sieve the mashed blackberries, citrus fruit juices and finally the syrup. Combine in plastic box, adding the liqueur (if using) and refrigerate overnight. Make sorbet in your icecream-maker or stir in the plastic box every half-hour for at least 3 hours.
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