Week Four - Sick Day Sorbet

This week's flavor came to me rather easily...as I looked around for inspiration, everywhere I went I was struck by one resounding commonality: I was surrounded by sick people! My mom was sick, my co-workers are sick, the gross people behind me in line at Target are hacking away; I can't escape it! So I thought I'd make something to sooth the sickies in my life. Little did I know that later in the week I, myself, would fall victim to the winter cold. Ugh! I spent the first half of yesterday sniffling through The Descendants and then the second half was spent blowing my nose through The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. (Can you tell I'm catching up on Oscar noms?)

I am quite excited to taste this sorbet as it is reminiscent of a concoction my sister created for me in the days leading up to my wedding. I had been staying up beyond late every night to finish the programs and menus (and all the other brilliant DIY ideas I had decided on, not realizing I'd be slapping it all together the week before!) and I had been working long hours to prepare for a huge event at work. By the time I made it down to my parents' house, two days before the wedding, I was a mess: I couldn't stop blowing my nose, I had no voice (And for those who know me, you know I need to talk. All the time. It's a sickness.) and I had turned into a wedding craft tyrant, enslaving my poor family members to tie menus to napkins and package macarons with the labels affixed, just so. (How did you not kill me?!) My sister, who has an amazing knack for being able to calm me down, made off to the local grocer to procure some magical ingredients, which she then heated, steeped, and served to her crazed-yet-glowing big sister. Within a few hours, I was like new! I still insisted on driving past the wedding venue to assure that they were setting everything up like I had asked (...the event planner in me) but at least I was able to tell the woman that everything looked perfect, instead of having to write it down.

So for anyone who is feeling slightly under-the-weather this winter season, might I suggest a scoop of this sorbet? Or at least a cup of my sister's miracle elixir - hot water with ginger root, lemon and honey.

Sick Day Sorbet (adapted from Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home)

Ingredients:

2 cups orange juice
1/3 cup lemon juice
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup honey
1/4 tsp ground ginger
3 oz liquid pectin (you can find this near the gelatin at most grocery stores)
1/8 tsp ground cayenne
2 tbs Maker's Mark

1. Add the juices, sugar, honey and ground ginger to a saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until boiling, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

2. Add pectin, ground cayenne and Maker's Mark and stir to incorporate.

3. Pour the mixture into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until completely cooled.

4. Transfer cooled mixture into bowl of ice cream maker and churn. Upon completion, transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze.