Ho hum, life is moving at a slow pace this week and I’m getting lost in it. 

I’m catching up on some summer reads I’ve been waiting to dive into.

We’re watching our syrah grapes ripen in the sun.

We’re building tents out of canvas tarps in the backyard. 

We’re taking long naps under the ceiling fan during the hottest days.

We’re picking our share of blackberries.

We’re begrudgingly back to school shopping.

And I’m making grown up sorbet ~ a healthier alternative to my ice cream fixation. 

Blackberry Cabernet Sorbet

2 cups water

1.5 cups sugar

24 oz. blackberries

2 tbsp lemon juice

2-3 tbsp cabernet

(or any dry red wine like merlot or syrah)

Bring water to simmer in small saucepan, then stir in sugar until dissolved to make syrup, refrigerate to cool.  Meanwhile, rinse and puree blackberries, then pour through mesh strainer to remove seeds.  Add blackberry puree, lemon juice and wine to syrup, blend together.  Process mixture in ice cream maker per manufacturer’s instructions.  Freeze processed soft sorbet at least an hour before serving. 

Wishing you long leisurely days spent relaxing in the summer sun, enjoying what’s left of the season before the beauty of fall is upon us.  

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There is a strawberry field on a corner of Arnold Drive that I pass every time I visit  Sonoma.  You’ll see cars pulling in all day long for a batch of the farmer’s strawberries fresh picked that day. 

We eat store bought strawberries all summer long, but there’s something extra special about picking your very own as they ripen in the summer sun. 

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It all started with this strange whirring sound in the middle of the Fourth of July party.  I was catching up with my girlfriends when the sound of a small appliance began to compete with the iPod playlist. 

Turns out, my hub had decided in the middle of the party to make homemade vanilla ice cream.  Huh ?  It was one of those moments where you look at your spouse that you’ve been married to for over a decade and realize perhaps you really don’t know that person at all. 

Apparently, he had pulled the never-been-used Krups ice cream maker (so ancient, it’s now discontinued) out of its dusty box the day before and frozen the bowl in anticipation of making ice cream in the middle of the party.  That’s just how he rolls. 

I confess, I mocked him.  “What’s going on here?”   Reply:  “Obviously, I’m making ice cream.  What’s a Fourth of July party without homemade vanilla ice cream?”   Perplexed and befuddled was I.   But my bewildered smirk gave way to a satisfied grin when I tasted his concoction.  He said, “Don’t you remember, we said we would make homemade ice cream this summer?”   That’s right, I did say that. 

Unfortunately, he’s now created a dangerous monster because I’ve been obsessed all week with my ice cream maker.   Oh, it all started so innocently, with plain vanilla. 

My vanilla soon morphed into pralines and cream with some caramel sauce and chopped pecans. 

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Hey everyone, it’s summer berry season, so I’m off to the farmer’s market this week to make my annual batch of preserves.  This is a repost from last summer, but I just had to share it again ! 

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Every summer, I go to the farmer’s market to buy enough summer berries to make my mixed berry preserves.  I was given a recipe by Mr. CG’s grandmother years ago for refrigerator preserves.  I tweaked her recipe by adding my own special ingredient, and then learned how to can it four years ago.  Now we enjoy mixed berry summer preserves even on the coldest wintery day.   

I start with the freshest fruit.  I use strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries.  After they’re rinsed, they look just like this.   

 This recipe does involve the canning process, but don’t be intimidated if you’ve never canned anything before!    All you really need is a very large pot and you can make these preserves quite easily.   

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