{"id":637,"date":"2009-10-06T03:19:00","date_gmt":"2009-10-06T03:19:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cookingatdebras.com\/eng\/2009\/10\/06\/squeeze-in-some-lemon-sorbet\/"},"modified":"2010-12-21T18:46:29","modified_gmt":"2010-12-21T18:46:29","slug":"squeeze-in-some-lemon-sorbet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cookingatdebras.com\/eng\/2009\/10\/06\/squeeze-in-some-lemon-sorbet\/","title":{"rendered":"Squeeze in some lemon sorbet"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Debra Samuels, Globe Correspondent
\nSeptember 9, 2009<\/em><\/p>\n

Lemon sorbet is a refreshing dessert any time of year. At the end of summer, when local fruits are in the markets, pair them with a cool scoop of lemony ice and add a crisp cookie.<\/p>\n

We sat down to taste six brands of lemon sorbet and among 16 tasters there was no clear favorite. Ciao Bella Lemon Sorbetto, with four votes, edged out three others with three votes each. \u201cMost intense lemon flavor and best palate cleanser,\u2019\u2019 was heard repeatedly. But neither was there a clear loser; 365 Meyer Lemon Sorbet (Whole Foods Market\u2019s house brand) was turned away by four tasters with \u201cbitter\u2019\u2019 being the most common remark.<\/p>\n

Sorbet is generally defined as containing water, fruit juice or pulp, and sugar. That\u2019s what each brand contains, plus stabilizers and preservatives. Most are labeled \u201cnaturally fat-free.\u2019\u2019 Sorbet is often confused with sherbet, its creamier cousin, which can contain dairy and sometimes egg whites. That said, ingredients vary. Sorbet recipes are also made with dairy products such as cream and half-and-half. Gus Rancatore, owner of Toscanini\u2019s and maker of icy confections, says, \u201cI\u2019m a traditionalist. Sherbet has milk or egg whites.\u2019\u2019 Many chefs ask Rancatore to make sorbets using dairy products because, he says, chefs don\u2019t live in a rigid world of definitions.
\nNone of our brands contain dairy or eggs. Tasting a particularly creamy sorbet, like Stop & Shop\u2019s Lemon Sorbetto, one of our crew wrote \u201cthis is not sorbet!\u2019\u2019 Well apparently it is. The texture comes from stabilizers such as carrageenan, pectin, guar gum, and xanthan gum. This would explain the \u201cgelatinous\u2019\u2019 and \u201cgummy\u2019\u2019 comments leveled at several brands, which by the way, were easier to scoop. But \u201ccreamy\u2019\u2019 can also come from whipping, which is why many recipes for homemade sorbet encourage immediate consumption.<\/p>\n

As for color, all of the brands sampled are white, with one exception. Sharon\u2019s is lemon yellow – really turmeric yellow. The color put some tasters off: \u201cHow artificial looking! It must be food coloring,\u2019\u2019 one said. Others found the color to be \u201cluscious\u2019\u2019 and an eye-appealing \u201cbaby-chick yellow.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

Most sorbets are flavored with lemon juice concentrate, which could include flavorings and sugar. Only Ciao Bella has plain lemon juice and rind among its ingredient list.<\/p>\n

Ciao Bella Lemon (Limone)
\n$4.99 for 1 pint<\/strong><\/p>\n

This brand was lauded for its lemony taste and grainy texture. Lemon juice is the second ingredient, the highest proportion among the competitors. \u201cThis has the most intense lemon flavor and would be the best palate cleanser.\u2019\u2019 \u201cNice icy consistency, tastes like it might have some peel in it.\u2019\u2019 \u201cDelicious, looks like a sorbet. Consistency is nice and fresh.\u2019\u2019 Another: \u201cYum-o. Nice fruity flavor with a crisp texture.\u2019\u2019 \u201cAcid not creamy too sherbet-y.\u2019\u2019 \u201cTangy and sweet.\u2019\u2019 \u201cIcy, tastes artificial.\u2019\u2019 Others: \u201cTastes a little like Mr. Clean smells – pine-scented kitchen cleaner. But the texture is nice.\u2019\u2019 \u201cLight on flavor and substance.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

Ha\u00e4gen-Dazs Fat-Free Sorbet Zesty Lemon
\n$3.99 for 1 pint<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cGood texture and plenty of flavor but also has a medicine-y aftertaste that is off-putting.\u2019\u2019 \u201cA bit of a bitter after-taste. Too creamy. Something other than lemon is in back.\u2019\u2019 \u201cOK for bitter lemon sorbet. It is too sweet and too bitter. Lacks the tart clean taste of fresh lemon and peel.\u2019\u2019 \u201cNice white smooth looking. No scent. Very smooth quite metallic, false lemon flavor.\u2019\u2019 \u201cDreadful glop of bitterness.\u2019\u2019 \u201cA nice smooth blend of lemon and sweet.\u2019\u2019 \u201cGood creamy.\u2019\u2019 \u201cDid they add a lot of lemon flavor? Too sweet.\u2019\u2019 \u201cNo taste of lemon really.\u2019\u2019 And from one who chose it as a favorite: \u201cFull rich ice creamy, tangy; too lemony chemical aftertaste. But still good.\u2019\u2019 What kind of endorsement is that?<\/p>\n

Sharon\u2019s All Natural Fat Free Lemon Sorbet
\n$2.69 for 1 pint<\/strong><\/p>\n

(This brand got three favorite votes and three least favorite.) \u201cTastes like mom\u2019s lemon meringue pie!\u2019\u2019 \u201cBold lemon flavor and luscious yellow color. Love the crunch.\u2019\u2019 \u201cTart, icy, lemony . . . delicious.\u2019\u2019 Not everyone gushed over the color. \u201cWhy so yellow? More crunchy than smooth. My tooth hurts. First sweet, then turns sour.\u2019\u2019 More texture comments: \u201cNot very creamy, but subtly lemony taste. Better once it thawed a bit. Artificial yellow color.\u2019\u2019 \u201cSeems like real lemon, maybe a bit bitter in the aftertaste.\u2019\u2019 \u201cLooks grainy, no smell at all.\u2019\u2019 \u201cSmooth icy.\u2019\u2019 \u201cToo yellow, too sweet.\u2019\u2019 \u201cConsistency is not very smooth. More like flavored ice.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

Stop & Shop Simply Enjoy Lemon Sorbetto
\n$4.49 for 1 liter (half gallon)<\/strong><\/p>\n

(Got three favorite votes and three least favorites.) Easiest of all to scoop. \u201cThis is not sorbet. Gelatinous texture after-feel on tongue. Overly sweet. Too much lemon oil, not enough fresh lemon.\u2019\u2019 \u201cWhite like snowflakes. Smooth tangy refreshing, opens up the taste buds.\u2019\u2019 \u201cBitter lemon tastes artificial. Too creamy for sorbet.\u2019\u2019 \u201cVery sweet, not real lemony.\u2019\u2019 (Lemon appears as the fifth ingredient; most other brands list it third or fourth.) \u201cCreamy, a little bitterness in mouth.\u2019\u2019 \u201cLove the smell, texture, and taste of this sorbet. It has the right amount of sweetness.\u2019\u2019 \u201cSmooth, sort of creamy, light lemon flavor.\u2019\u2019 \u201cWhite color, creamy smooth consistency, mild initial flavor, tart aftertaste.\u2019\u2019 \u201cLemony scent with a bit of extract smell. Lovely texture. Very smooth no granules. False lemon flavor. All extract, no real lemon bitter edge.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

Whole Foods Market 365 Meyer Lemon Sorbet
\n$3.39 for 1 pint<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cVery smooth, nice blend of sweet and tart.\u2019\u2019 \u201cRemote flavor of lemon like it was near a lemon at some point. Texture is not unpleasant, just not good.\u2019\u2019 \u201cLeast sweet and has an aftertaste which is bitter. Texture is smooth and creamy.\u2019\u2019 \u201cBitter and too much stabilizer.\u2019\u2019 \u201cWhite, very creamy, astringent.\u2019\u2019 \u201cGummy – OK acceptable.\u2019\u2019 \u201cCreamy and a little bitter.\u2019\u2019 \u201cThis is too thick and acidic. Tart without lemony flavor.\u2019\u2019 \u201cRich, too lemony, too intense, smooth.\u2019\u2019 \u201cSmooth white, looks like there might be flecks of rind. Lemon scent is extract-y. Flavor is bitter, too much extract but right amount of sugar. Too bad about the bitterness – it has that metallic bitter edge but nice smooth texture.\u2019\u2019 \u201cConsistency excellent.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

Whole Fruit Sorbet Lemon
\n$2.69 for 1 pint<\/strong><\/p>\n

Some commented: \u201cNo artificial color\u2019\u2019 and \u201cnice off-white looks, smooth, scent is soft lemon.\u2019\u2019 Others: \u201cFeels chemical and smooth.\u2019\u2019 \u201cNot bad for a lemony sherbet. Lemon-ish and not too sweet. More creamy than I like a sorbet to be.\u2019\u2019 \u201cDense full flavored. Tangy and white. More ice cream than sorbet.\u2019\u2019 \u201cColor OK. Excellent lemon flavor. Not quite as icy as it could be, but really good.\u2019\u2019 \u201cVery creamy with a balanced flavor and pleasant aroma. Lacking intensity.\u2019\u2019 \u201cThis has a great tang. Smooth texture with a lemony fragrance you expect in a lemon sorbet.\u2019\u2019 \u201cWay too tart. Doesn\u2019t have sweetish aftertaste.\u2019\u2019 \u201cMore authentic fresh lemon flavor. Not as strong as others.\u2019\u2019 \u201cWhite, smooth, tart, with very little sweet.\u2019\u2019
\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Debra Samuels, Globe Correspondent September 9, 2009 Lemon sorbet is a refreshing dessert any time of year. At the end of summer, when local fruits are in the markets, pair them with a cool scoop of lemony ice and add a crisp cookie. We sat down to taste six brands of lemon sorbet and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":826,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[83],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-637","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-taste-kitchen-articles"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cookingatdebras.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/637","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cookingatdebras.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cookingatdebras.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cookingatdebras.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cookingatdebras.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=637"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.cookingatdebras.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/637\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":833,"href":"https:\/\/www.cookingatdebras.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/637\/revisions\/833"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cookingatdebras.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/826"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cookingatdebras.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=637"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cookingatdebras.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=637"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cookingatdebras.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=637"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}