Friday 20 July 2012

Gin & Gooseberries


It's an exceptional summer in Toronto. The heat began early and by the time I returned mid-June it was very hot and humid. I love the heat, but the humidity can drain all your energy, so that by the afternoon all you want to do is snooze in a chair. The upside of all this heat is that it's perfect weather for gin and tonic, my preference is Hendricks gin with sliced cucumber.
The heat has also made all the fruit in my urban garden ripen more quickly than usual. I managed to harvest some green gooseberries, the green ones have good acidity, which makes them a perfect foil for oily fish.


Most of my gooseberries changed colour before I could harvest them. This means my gooseberries are sweeter and softer than I like them but they can be eaten without cooking and make good desserts.


Instead of making ice cream, I prefer ice cream when it's cold, yes it's a quirk, that I can't explain, but I do like ices and sorbets when it's hot. I've been tinkering with this recipe since I first made it. Just gently cook 450 g / 1 pound gooseberries with 125 g / 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, stirring from time to time until soft and tender. Let everything cool slightly and then pass it through the fine grill of a food mill. Chill overnight before churning it in an ice cream machine. 


You can make this recipe with green gooseberries, just check the sweetness and it will turn a paler shade of pink.

5 comments:

Amarantha said...

It's the dead of winter here, so not really G&T weather. But you've inspired me to make a Martini. (Mmmmmm, gin.....)

Jennifer said...

Even when it's hot my husband still enjoys a martini. Hard to imagine the world without gin..

Amarantha said...

"...the world without gin..."

o_O

I don't want to imagine that. I might have nightmares.

And ya, martinis work in any weather.

Le Beau Benoit said...

If you like gin n'tonic, they now have a nice product in Québec. The ungava gin. A lovely yellow gin made with northern herb in the beatiful province.. worth trying

Jennifer said...

Thank you for the tip. I will definitely try that gin.

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