The Flavor of Flowers

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Serving suggestion: Put a sweet-flavored daylily flower (pistils and stamens removed) in a wineglass, then add a scoop of the sorbet. Top with candied lilac blossoms.

*Dark-colored flowers produce an interesting color sorbet; light-colored flowers produce an almost translucent white sorbet.

Pineapple-Verbena Sorbet

Serves 4

I served this after a main course of Mexican Mint Chicken Salad, Stuffed Tomatoes and Indian Flat Bread, and before a tantalizing dessert of Lemon Balm Blueberry Cake.

• 3 to 4 fresh lemon verbena leaves, partially cut up
• 1 can frozen pineapple juice concentrate, thawed but still cold
• 2½ cups cold water (or about 2 juice cans of water)

1. In blender, place the lemon verbena leaves, pineapple juice concentrate and 1 cup of the cold water. Blend well until the leaves are completely pulverized.
2. Add the remaining water and pour the mixture into a hand-cranked or electric sorbet mixer. Freeze until firm.

Serve in previously frozen bowls. (I freeze the spoons, as well.) The sorbet stays firmer that way when serving it on a warm summer day.

Fresh Minted Lime Sorbet

Serves 4 to 6

This is similar to a minty margarita that goes well with Mexican food or barbecue as a palate cleanser or as a light, cooling dessert.

• 1½ cups water
• 1½ cups sugar
• 1/3 cup firmly packed fresh mint leaves (spearmint, peppermint, etc.)
• 2½ cups fresh lime juice (about 12 limes)

1. In a saucepan, combine water and sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat and let syrup cool.
2. In a blender, puree syrup and mint leaves until well pulverized. Add lime juice and chill, until completely cold, about 1 hour.
3. Freeze according to instructions of ice cream or sorbet maker. (I make the base — syrup, mint and lime juice — the day before and store in the refrigerator until ready to finish making the sorbet.)

Blackberry Basil Sorbet

Serves 4 to 6

I threw this together when some local television photographers came by right before lunchtime. I often try to feed reporters garden fare so they can better understand the garden they are photographing. Blackberries were in season, and the ‘Ruby Queen’ basil was looking especially good. The resulting sorbet has become one of my summer favorites.

• 1 cup water
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 or 5 fresh basil leaves (‘Ruby Queen’, cinnamon or any of your favorite basils work for this)
• 3 cups blackberry juice (use bottled, or make by cooking down fresh or frozen blackberries, straining and reserving the juice, and adding water if needed)
• Juice of ½ lemon

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