There’s a curious custom in Gascony, a region in the southwest of France known for its full-bodied red wines (its famous neighbor is Bordeaux). When they’ve just about finished their soup, the locals tip a little bit of the red wine from their glass into their soup bowl, mingling the wine with the last few spoonfuls of the broth. I later discovered that this custom is equally good with a goblet of sorbet when I was scrambling to figure out a way to make this rosy nectarine sorbet a bit more special for an impromptu dinner party. I simply scooped sorbet into my guests’ wine glasses at the table and let them pour in as little (or as much) red wine as they wished. It was a big success. If you have time to think ahead, prepare a big bowl of sweet, juicy berries and sliced nectarines, and let your guests add some fruit to their sorbet too.

　　

Ingredients

makes about 1 quart (1 liter)

　　6 ripe nectarines (about 2 pounds, 1 kg)

　　2/3 cup (160 ml) water

　　3/4 cup (150 g) sugar

　　1 teaspoon kirsch, or 1/4 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

　　

Step 1

Slice the nectarines in half and remove the pits. Cut the unpeeled nectarines into small chunks and cook them with the water in a medium, nonreactive saucepan, covered, over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they’re soft and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add a bit more water if necessary during cooking.

　　

Step 2

Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar. Let cool to room temperature. When cool, purée the mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth. Stir in the kirsch or lemon juice.

　　

Step 3

Chill the mixture thoroughly, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

　　

Variation

Step 4

For Peach Sorbet, substitute 7 large, ripe peaches for the nectarines. Remove the skins prior to cutting them into chunks.

　　

Perfect Pairing

Step 5

If you like the idea of red wine with Nectarine Sorbet, pair it with the Raspberry-Rosé Sorbet (page 130), or simply serve it in goblets and pass a bottle of fruity red wine, such as Beaujolais, Brouilly, or Merlot.

　　The Perfect Scoop