Thursday, November 27, 2008

Too stuffed for pie

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Pear Riesling Sorbet

Happy Thanksgiving!!
I love Thanksgiving, it's my favorite holiday. Trevor and I have a tradition of keeping it a "just the two of us" event. Big family Christmas parties are just around the corner, so it's nice to relax and have a nice dinner for two- and then survive off the leftovers for the week and a half to follow.

Just because it's a small party, doesn't mean it's not a raging party. I bust out the nice dishes, set the table all Martha-like, light candles...the works. We just happen to celebrate in jammy pants, and I may have forgotten to put on a bra.

Trevor has set himself up with a living room-prep station, and is obediently snipping green beans on the couch, watching From Russia with Love. I'm taking a cocktail break from the kitchen...
oh yeah, and were both being thankful.

One thing we never really go wild about on this holiday, is dessert. Usually an assortment of shortbread cookies, depending on what dough I have in the freezer, and a glass of prosecco is all the dessert necessary after the Turkey Feed.
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This year, however, I did have my fanciest of pants on. I had some yellowy golden pears, splotchy with little brown spots on the counter. They were primed and ready to be cooked down a wee bit, and pureed to become pear sorbet. A healthy amount of Riesling plays nicely with the pear, and a shot of cointreau adds a cozy, orangey warmth. Totally refreshing after a big meal. Rather than the tradish prosecco, I found a sexy pink cremant. She truly is a dirty girl, and will be glorious with the sorbet.
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Pear Riesling Sorbet

simple syrup (refrigerate the leftovers for cocktails)
2 cups water
2 cups sugar

combine, bring to a boil. set aside to cool.

Pear puree (adjust sorbet recipe to how many cups your puree yields)

very ripe pears
lemon juice
water

peel and core pears. cut into chunks and place in a sauce pan. Add a few tablespoons of water and a squeeze of lemon juice. Cook, covered, over medium low heat, stirring occasionally. Once pears are beginning to liquefy, remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Puree in a blender (in batches if needed), Strain through a sieve into a large measuring pitcher
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Sorbet base:

2 cups pear puree
1 cup simple syrup
3 or 4 oz. of decent quality Riesling (add more or less to your taste)
2 T fresh lemon juice
2 T cointreau

Stir together, then refrigerate until completely cold. Churn in an ice cream maker.

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17 comments:

cookiecrumb said...

Oh, ha, yeah!!
I don't even know how you got those scoops into the snifter without smudging the glass.
Beautiful.
Happy TG.

Clumbsy Cookie said...

To stuffed for pie?????? But you're the pie lady! Oh well, the sorbet looks good too, ;)! Happy Thanksgiving!

Alicia Foodycat said...

How perfect! I think sexy pink bubbles would have been just perfect with it. Happy Thanksgiving!

peter said...

Looking GOOOOOD. I especially like the braless idea- very festive. We had 8 people again and I went crazy. Again.

Peter M said...

That combo sounds freakin' good and a light dessert is apt for Thanksgiving.

Brittany said...

SHUT UP!

That looks amazing! I wouldn't even make it to the table with that, just eat it out of the bowl over the sink:)

Brittany said...

cookie crumb- I know! I kind of impressed myself

clumsy cookie- Shocking, isn't it? I guess I'm not the pie lady after 2 giant plates worth of turkey dinner. I'm traditionally quite stuffed after the bird...

Foodycat- Oh, it totally was. This was one kind on the drier side, lovely with the sweet sorbet. Very hotel california.

Peter- I'm still too pussy to host large holiday parties. And yes, 8 is considered large.

Peter M- I was still pregnant with a giant food baby, despite the relative lite-ness of dessert.

Brittany- Oh, I ate a healthy portion right out of the tub while nobody was looking. Then I daintily spooned my little goblet about 10 minutes later.

Cakespy said...

This looks amazing. Good enough to warrant a (brief) respite from a pie life!

Heather said...

My pie was not terribly pretty. I'm not the Pie Lady, though. This sorbet would be perfect after a large meal - not like ugly pie. :P

Peabody said...

Looks nice and refreshing.

Anonymous said...

YUM. I have never heard a cremant called a dirty girl before! haha.

A really great sounding sorbet, great flavor combinations.

Glad you had a good thanksgiving!

Brittany said...

Jessie- shockingly enough, I did not miss the pie at all. It didn't even feel like a respite!

Heather- some of the ugliest pies I have ever seen have been the tastiest. I have a hard time believing that your's was nothing short of delish.

Peabody- and it is/was...

Matt- she was a dirty dirty bitch. Happy TG to you, my friend ; )

Emily said...

Mmm splendid. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!!

I love not wearing bras. It's the best.

michael, claudia and sierra said...

i was smiling throughout that entire post.

i felt light and refreshed and well, i took my bra off...

sounds like a great tradition.

ley said...

So, obviously, this looks amazing and fantastic and delicious and all that. But, I have to say that my favourite part of this post was seeing that you ate this with one of those rolled wafer cookies! lol. I'm in love with those things, but I rarely see them anywhere! You're my favourite now.

Lisa said...

reisling and pears, what a wonderful combo - can't wait to try it. not sure if I want to hate you for losing 15 pounds during the month of November or if you have perhaps suffered enough!

Brittany said...

Em- I know. Bras are the worst.

Caludia- heres to sagging tits

Ley- Tuiles! I gotta have my tuiles. Tasty as a fortune cookie, but sexier.

Lisa- Now it's 20! Thanks to a diet of squash and vegetables. However I would stab someone for a nice braise of any kind.





Thanks Norm!