While teaching classes in the American heartland few years back, as I started to measure out some buttermilk, I stopped and gasped, horrified to see tiny yellow flecks floating on top. Being a city slicker, I figured there was something wrong with the buttermilk and thought I’d have to toss it. But on closer inspection, I noticed that those flecks were little bits of real, honest-to-goodness butter, something you don’t see often anymore, since most buttermilk is cultured rather than a by-product of the butter-making process. The crowd got a good laugh at my startled reaction to my first encounter with real, old-fashioned buttermilk. And I promised them that I’d never dismiss the country’s midsection as “flyover states” again, since there’s very good buttermilk down there.

　　

Ingredients

makes about 1 quart (1 liter)

　　1/3 cup (80 ml) water

　　2/3 cup (130 g) sugar

　　1 lemon, preferably unsprayed

　　2 cups (500 ml) buttermilk

　　1/4 cup (60 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)

　　

Step 1

In a medium, nonreactive saucepan, mix the water and sugar. Grate the zest of the lemon directly into the saucepan. Heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and let stand until the syrup reaches room temperature, then chill thoroughly in the refrigerator.

　　

Step 2

Whisk the buttermilk into the syrup, then whisk in the lemon juice. Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

　　

Perfect Pairing

Step 3

Lemon-Buttermilk Sherbet is pretty and delicious resting on a pool of Creamy Caramel Sauce (page 170).

　　The Perfect Scoop