Becoming Girasole

Yes, Seattle, there is a sun.  And it looks like I’m not the only one who noticed—so did the sunbathing girls on Seattle U’s lawn and passersby clad in rolled up cut-offs and Ray Bans on the way to the coffee shop this morning.  Never mind that it’s only 60 degrees, in this particularly rainy city, we get so excited for the return of sun that we sometimes jump the gun a little :).  Still, I don’t think we’re alone.  When I lived in Rome, people everywhere would sit out on an island in the middle of the Tiber river at the first sign of spring, roll up their sleeves, take off their shoes, and eat panini with their eyes closed and their faces to the sun.  We literally became girasole:  that which turns toward the sun. I remember getting my book and my favorite mango sorbetto and joining them, the words and gestures like music around me, as the sweet ice melted on my tongue. Our common language:  a worship of light. 

So, in honor of the crazy spirit that makes us all swoon when the sun comes out, I decided to make the thing I love most about these bright, happy days:  sorbetto that reminds me of the heaven I used to buy from handsome men in tuxedos near the Piazza Navona. I found fat, pink mangoes and shiny green limes and took them home to fill my house with make-believe summer. 

You’ll be glad to know that this recipe only has three ingredients:  mangos, sugar, and lime.  Michael Pollan would be happy with us, wouldn’t he?  Except, he’d probably be happier if we didn’t get our mangos from Mexico.  Especially since we live in Seattle.  Sorry, Michael, we’re pretending it’s summer today.

Here’s how you make it:


Mango Sorbetto

1. Peel four ripe mangoes, and slice them.

2. Zest one lime, and juice two.

3. Make a simple syrup with about ¾ cup sugar and ¾ cup water.  Mix in a pan until it combines.  You want about 1 cup of simple syrup for the recipe. 

4. Put the four mangoes the juice of two limes, the zest, and the simple syrup in a blender.

5. If you have an ice-cream maker you’re one lucky chap/gal.  Put it in and let it spin for 20 minutes.

6. If you don’t have an ice-cream maker, sorry!  You can still make it though.  Hooray!  Put it in a Tupperware container and let it sit in the freezer for about 3 hours, stirring it every half hour. 

7. Voila!  Sorbetto.  Go outside, with a bowl in your hand, put your bare-feet in the grass and pretend it’s July.

Do you have a great ice-cream or sorbet recipe?  Post it below!  I'd love to try it out.