Several years ago, a perfumista friend and I shared a few rounds of sushi at the bar of a spectacular Japanese restaurant neither of us could really afford. Midway through our abbreviated banquet the waitress brought us a palate cleanser — a tiny bowl of jasmine sorbet. It was pale, and a little watery. I expected it to taste that way. But when the frozen crystals hit my tongue my entire head filled with the scent and flavor of sweet jasmine. My friend and I looked at each other with identical expressions of shocked delight.
“Orange blossom!” she exclaimed. She was right. The sweetness made the jasmine flavor very similar to jasmine paired with orange blossom in perfume. It had the same effect as orange blossom water, but without the soapy facet, and with something more... I ate the second, and final, spoonful and it happened again — frozen flowers melting, blooming and then vanishing, in one brief ravishing moment.
Those two beautiful bites have been lurking the back of my mind ever since. With this post and triple digit temperatures as motivation, I dug out my ice cream maker this month and tried to make some at home.
My initial research turned up the same recipe everywhere: equal parts jasmine green tea1, simple syrup2 and lemon juice, chilled, and poured into an ice cream maker. Freezing kills flavor, so it’s important to amp up both sweet and sour for a balanced, flavorful sorbet, but the ratio didn’t seem right to me. Sure enough, it produced a jasmine-accented lemon sorbet. Other recipes replaced the lemon juice with peach, blackberry, pear or other purées. Wonderful, I’m sure (and do try it) but not what I was after.
Then I found a recipe credited to Atlanta’s Bacchanalia restaurant that added an equal portion of buttermilk to the lemon, tea, and syrup. Figuring its sourness could make up for a decrease in the lemon juice, and remembering my friend’s comment, I tried this:
Subtle Buttermilk Jasmine Sorbet
¾ cup jasmine green tea
¾ cup simple syrup
¾ cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons orange blossom water
¼ teaspoon salt
The result was lovely — light and creamy, with a clean tang of buttermilk up front and a haunting floral aftertaste, more jasmine than orange blossom, with no trace of soap. I’ll make it again. But alas, unless I spritzed on some Serge Lutens A La Nuit as I ate, it wasn’t going to get me anywhere near the sorbet I remembered.
At this point, things took a slightly obsessive turn. I tried adding extra tea pearls to the brewed tea to cold steep overnight. (Better, but still not enough jasmine flavor.) I floated jasmine blossoms from my grandiflorum vine in cooled boiled water for twenty-four hours to make jasmine water for my simple syrup. (Ditto.) I gazed longingly at the jasmine cooking essence on Mandy Aftelier's web page and looked long and hard at the tiny bottle of jasmine absolute I own. Maybe just half a drop? With visions of glaring IFRA scientists in my head, I backed away from the bottle and wrote a pleading email to the restaurant (they’re coming out with a cookbook — next year) and while looking at their website I had a little brainstorm.
I googled “jasmine asian ingredient” and there it was: mali, Thai jasmine syrup, which along with “jasmine essence,” turns out to be as useful for Thai drinks and desserts as vanilla extract is for their Western counterparts. A quick trip to Austin’s new super-gigantic Asian market yielded both along with pomelo essence, durian essence, and — wait, what’s that?
The tiny jar said “Sweet Osmanthus Sauce,” and the label listed osmanthus, sugar, and salt as the sole ingredients. I could see flowers floating in the murky amber syrup. I already had some wonderful osmanthus oolong tea at home. I tasted a sorbet with its smooth, round, slightly smoky apricot flavor in my mind... Into the cart went the osmanthus sauce.
Back at home, while my osmanthus tea chilled alongside my pitcher of jasmine tea I did a little research on my new mystery ingredient. My sauce, also known as guì huā, is just one of the many ways China cooks with osmanthus blossoms — the dried flowers are used as an herb, made into jam, and even wine. Osmanthus wine! I drifted off into a fantasy about ripe peaches drizzled in an osmanthus wine reduction that briefly threatened to empty my bank account and derail the sorbet project. Then I snapped to (maybe next time) and made my way back to the kitchen.
With some help from my new Thai friends I made several truly terrible sorbets that tasted like my grandmother’s face cream: a little essence goes a very long way. Finally, I made this one:
Very Jasmine Sorbet
¾ cup jasmine green tea
½ cup simple syrup
¼ cup lemon juice
½ teaspoon jasmine essence (or 1 tablespoon Thai jasmine syrup, a.k.a. mali)
¼ teaspoon salt
And it was pretty good — as bright and explosive as the buttermilk jasmine sorbet had been creamy and subtle. It made my husband’s eyebrows go all the way to the top of his forehead. I still want a better jasmine flavor but with a little more tweaking, or a different brand of essence, or both (or the damn recipe) I think I’ll get there.
But not right now. Because right now I’m much too busy enjoying this:
Savory Sweet Osmanthus Sorbet
¾ cup osmanthus oolong tea
½ cup simple syrup
¼ cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon sweet osmanthus sauce
The smooth, floral flavor of the tea is brightened by the lemon and given considerably more depth by the sauce, which, since it is as salty as it is sweet, also adds a savory note that fans of tamarind, or mango-chile paletas (Mexican popsicles) will find familiar. (In fact, a bit of chile heat might be an interesting variation.) You can see the little osmanthus flowers in the final sorbet — very pretty.
I am a huge fan of sweet-salty and sweet-sour things, and I was completely bowled over by this recipe. But it is definitely more like the leathery Parfums d’Empire's Osmanthus Interdite than the citrus-fruit of Ormonde Jayne’s Osmanthus. If you prefer the latter I’d recommend looking for osmanthus jam and using it in the same way, or simply adding dried osmanthus flowers to your simple syrup. Or you could order some osmanthus extract from this place. But only if you tell me all about it after you try it.
Note: As with all simple recipes, the quality of the ingredients is paramount. I recommend brewing good tea in a ceramic or glass pot and squeezing your own lemons. That said, the possibility for variations here is endless. Do chime in with your own ideas and recipes!
Another note: image is lebanese lemonade sorbet by jules:stonesoup at flickr; some rights reserved.
1. I used this amazingly fragrant Rishi jasmine pearl tea. It's expensive, but worth it, since I re-steep 3-5 times.
2. Simple syrup is equal parts water and white sugar stirred over low heat until the sugar completely dissolves. Very useful for sweetening cold drinks.
3. If you can’t find these ingredients at your local Asian market, try here. While you're at it, how about some French jasmine syrup, or some jasmine marshmallows?
Rishi also makes Matcha – a grounded green tea – that you could use to make ice cream similar to that found in Japanese establishments! Whole Foods carries!
Yes, I saw a recipe for green tea ice cream–which I enjoy– on one of the food blogs I looked at in my internet research travels. A whole other adventure…
Alyssa, these sound great! You are right about Rishi teas–they are well worth seeking out, and are available via website as well. Can’t wait to make these!
Rishi is great! My oolong tea was from another very good company called Teance. It’s linked, in case you’re curious.
I’m very lucky to have a grocery store with a large bulk tea section, so I try all kinds of very pricey things for a few dollars a bag. I don’t think I’d ever have gotten into these kinds of teas otherwise, though I have to say it all seems like a bargain compared to my perfume habit.
OMG—I can’t wait to try these recipes….I’m sitting here SALIVATING!
Thank you for doing all the investigative work and then generously sharing your findings….from now on you are : The Sorbet Goddess!
~ your loyal minion, Daisy 🙂
Hee, hee! Daisy, as much as I would love to have you as my minion, I have to say that I am a complete amateur when it comes to sorbet and ice cream making. Someone with more experience would probably have gotten to the recipes a bit faster! Which is to say, with $50 ($35 on sale!) and a few afternoons, you too can be a Sorbet Goddess, and I’ll gladly take tips from you about whatever ambrosia you whip up… 😉
What a fantastic piece, Alyssa. I’m full of admiration for people who keep at a dish until they get it right – I’m too lazy and impatient. But I’ll enjoy your findings, so thanks! Now, where can I source those essences in the UK….?
Nina, I’m betting London has as many Asian food stores as any metropolitan area in the U.S., and some of them probably do mail order if you’re very far away. But I’d look around whatever town you’re in–the Asian diaspora is pretty widespread, blessedly for those of us who love those flavors…
And if you do find someplace–come back and share if you don’t mind, so other UK folks can find them!
Wow! What a tale of culinary adventure!! I’m in no position to make these – no time, ice cream maker, or access to a good Asian market – but Wow!! Thanks for sharing & good luck with making an even more subtle jasmine sorbet….. 😉
Thanks Ann! And I saw my ice cream maker–an entry level cuisinart model–on sale on Amazon yesterday for $35.00. A batch takes 20 minutes. Just sayin’. 🙂
Thanks for the tip – I like to think of it as magic though, lol.
Ha!
I experienced eating ice creams with flower flavours too (rose and lavender in my case) and it is the strangest feeling to taste what you usually smell. For some reason, it is much more intense with ice cream than it is with candy.
It is strange, isn’t it? I normally like my flower flavors very subtle, but somehow the jasmine works when it’s strong. I do prefer the sorbet to ice cream, though — I like the way it vanishes so quickly.
Oh my goodness! This sounds wonderful! I don’t have an ice cream maker but maybe I can try something with the “stir and scratch” method someone taught me… I love how you compared the finished sorbet with the perfumes- I was sharing a meal with a friend yesterday and we were discussing the similarities and differences between culinary art and perfume. Sometimes I taste things that remind me of certain scents in a peculiar way, and vice versa… so much fun 🙂
Oh yes, a granita method–or even popsicles–would work just fine with these recipes. Though do see my note to Ann about the ice cream maker. I got mine as a wedding present, but if I’d known they could be so inexpensive I probably would have bought one awhile ago…
How interesting…….not sure if it would fit my pallette but my husband would certainly go for this. may try it one day.
Hope he likes it!
I am so EXCITED! I just love drinking floral tea and eating flowery-flavoured food, and now thanks to you there is a whole new world of essences and syrups to experiment with. Thank you so much for sharing your adventures.
I have long been looking for a replacement for my sadly lamented Twinings Rose Pouchong (which tasted nothing like ordinary Chinese Rose Pouchong). Twinings recently brought out Rose Garden – again nothing like the original. The nearest, and very yummy, that I have found is Brewhaha’s Rose Tea.
And as for beautiful Jasmine Pearl Tea, do try a company called Teapigs. Just like sipping jasmine nectar.
Now I am off to find an Asian supermarket to get those essences ….
Forgot to say: I once read that Jo Malone used to give dinner parties at which she would provide food flavoured like her fragrances. This inspired me to make things like Lime Basil and Mandarin Panna Cotta – I’d never thought of using basil in a sweet before, but it worked!
Glad to help, Jillie, and do report back on how it all turns out!
That makes total sense to me, about the Jo Malone’s. I’ve always thought of those perfumes as the components of a spice cabinet, or a line of extracts–things to be mixed and matched.
This is great. Thank you so much for sharing. I immediately sent this to my ‘foodie’ friend who also lives in Austin. Maybe I can convince her to make it when I go for my next visit:)
Hope so! If you come do go check out that crazy big Asian market. It’s wonderful.
Osmanthus…. hhhmmmmm… is it anything like Osmanthe Yunnan from Hermes?
The tea is very much like that. The sorbet is like that with an additional savory note. OY was my inspiration–first for drinking the tea, and then for the sorbet.
Oh, Alyssa… this has my brain doing flips, thinking about stocking up on some of these ingredients via mailorder (or checking my tiny Asian grocery, which is really a treasure trove). I never even thought of looking for such things as jasmine or osmanthus sauces or ingredients before… though I’m a huge fan of rosewater and orange blossom water. Floral-flavored sweets are a big hit with me.
Rose ice cream is fantastic. I’ve shared this “lazy” tip before (I must credit the Trader Joe’s cookbook) for an Iranian-inspired treat: finely crumble a pinch or two of saffron and soak the powder in a tablespoon or two of rosewater for an hour or more; then mix well into a slightly softened pint of pistachio ice cream and re-freeze to allow the flavors to macerate.
I also made a Russian Caravan smoky tea infused flan a couple months back inspired by a local radio food show blog; it was ok, but it could inspire many variations.
I also read with interested the following from the same radio show blog — Darjeeling Peach Pie:
http://blogs.kcrw.com/goodfood/2010/08/darjeeling-tea-peach-pie-with-darjeeling-ice-cream/
Oh I LOVE that tip about crumbling the saffron into the rosewater! Must try that post-haste, thanks so much.
It was that original jasmine sorbet that made my brain do backflips! (And what a great way of putting it.) It’s so much fun to have a door open up like that, isn’t it? I can’t wait to try some stronger, smokier tea sorbets. Lapsang Souchong, here I come…
That pistachio/rosewater/saffron combo sounds heavenly, Joe… I make an Indian rice pudding with saffron, cardamom, and pistachios that sounds similar (and come to think of it, a bit of rosewater wouldn’t go amiss there either).
Wow, Joe, even an ice cream making plebian like myself could pull that off. It sounds amazing! I always have rose water and orange blossom waters for cooking around. I wish there was a good interntional market around me – you’d think where I live there’d be one. Nope.
Wow, Joe! Do you have a favorite brand of pistachio ice cream?
When I’m in the mood, I think I buy whatever’s on sale: Ben & Jerry’s or Haagen Dazs.
For years, I’ve been wanting to make a pilgrimage to this Persian ice cream chain in Los Angeles — check out their selection!:
http://www.mashtimalones.com
Just found out via their site that some Whole Foods stock them, so I’ll have to check out my local store!
Looks delicious! You’ll have to report back.
I have experimented with ice creams and sorbets — black pepper ice cream is amazingly good and surprisingly floral — but nothing on the tea spectrum yet. These sound fantastic, and I do love poking around Asian grocery stores for all the odd tidbits. I even have a book called “Demystifying the Asian Grocery Store” (or something to that effect), but there’s so much more to be discovered (just keep the salted dried kumquats away from me — I’m not a fan!)…
Now I want that book!
Can totally imagine black pepper ice cream bringing out the floral aspect of the pepper. Have you ever smelled L’Artisan’s Poivre Piquant? It’s supposed to be white pepper, milk and honey, but it too, plays on pepper’s floral aspect.
I love Poivre Piquant, and can imagine it would be tasty in ice cream form! Alyssa, count me among those who really enjoyed your article!
Thank you, Haunani!
Try a sprinkling of fresh ground black pepper on sliced strawberries! Or a dash of balsamic vinegar (the GOOD stuff). Another taste treat, fresh pineapple sprinkled with cayenne pepper, that’s how they serve it in Vietnam.
Oh yes, wonderful suggestions, I’m a big fan of that spicy-sweet, sour-sweet method! Salt or lime (or both) on watermelon, salt+chili pepper on mangos, and so on… (And if you can’t afford the real balsamic vinegar, boiling down the less expensive stuff is a not-too-bad substitute…)
Ah – very fond of peaches with lime juice, ground toasted cumin, and chili a Madhur Jaffrey recipe!
Ooh, I love those combinations, too. Nozknoz, I will have to look at my Madhur Jaffrey cookbook. Never done desserts from her.
Alyssa, I’ve been in an irascible mood today, but after reading this post I am now thrilled and excited. I can’t wait to try some (or ALL) of these recipes. You are a mad and wonderful woman, thank you for posting this!
And your comment has made my day, thank you! (And bon appetit!)
Thank you so much for this article! I had no idea such wonderful things existed.
Me neither! 😉 And thank you.
What a delightful post on a hot summer day! I have to be in Florida for a few weeks and ice cream sounds quite yummy about now.
I’ve never been much of a tea fan, but this has me re-thinking that. And I’m off to check out that ice cream maker. One son is a huge ice cream fan and often mentions making his own. I’m all for early Christmas shopping and sale prices make it that much more fun. Thanks!
It really was perfume that got me into tea. That and the fact that coffee no longer seemed to do anything but make me feel like an insomniac at three in the morning…
My ice cream machine is definitely low end, but it got a thumbs up from David Lebovitz, who wrote The Perfect Scoop, a fantastic book on ice cream and other frozen treats. The thing that separates it from the more expensive models is that it’s not “self-freezing,” you have to freeze the bowl for twenty-four hours before you use it. I have an extra bowl–it came with one–and just kept both in the freezer all the time during my experiments, but since I could only use them one time each, it definitely slowed things down a bit. Just fine for average, non-obsessive use, though… 😉
I have one called the Donvier and it works fabulous. Less than $25 dollars, easy to use and clean. We make homemade ice cream for dinner parties and have become quite famous for it. Flavors like candied ginger for asian meals, peach/almond, lemongrass shorbet, mango chili, and Joe’s rosewater pistashio idea w/ curries. Best specialized appliance in our kitchen.
Good tip!
You don’t need an ice cream maker. I make a lovely coffee ice cream without one (so did my mother before me). It’s a bit more labour intensive, but the results are just the same.
Do you just stir repeatedly in an ice bath? Do tell, Bela.
What a fantastically decadent post, Alyssa! Loved it. I’m wondering if a WHITE jasmine tea might work a little better. I find green tea makes other flavors (i.e. the bergamot in Earl Grey) murky.
Way to feed the obsession, Rapp! 😉 Really, that’s such an interesting point. I’m at the very beginning of my tea explorations, and it never would have occurred to me to look for a white jasmine tea, but I will certainly do so now.
How would you describe the flavor of white teas, in general, as opposed to green?
White teas, to me, are the champagne of teas. And I mean that literally, not just metaphorically. They have a dry, vaguely fruity flavor whereas green tea always tastes like grass or hay to me. I’ve especially liked Stash’s white teas.
http://www.stashtea.com/products/Dragon+Phoenix+Pearl+Jasmine+White+Tea.aspx
No affiliation.
Champagne! So interesting. Well now I have to drink some. The only white tea I’ve had in the past was either very delicate, almost bland, or fruit-flavored, which I’m very picky about and often dislike. But I will follow your guide!
You just gave me a great idea for my Fujian White Rose tea. I think you may be right, the white might just do it.! Then again, it could be a touch too delicate. Oh well, have to try and find out.
Yummm! That sounds delicious. I don’t necessarily find the white to be more delicate than the green, just a different flavor.
Alyssa,
An amazing idea this is. I was familiar with the rose and orange flower waters but I haven’t seen the jasmne in the stores. I really need to take another look. Have to give this a try, along with a little rose. It will be welcome in this heat.
I thought about jasmine and rose sorbets served together–Joy perfume in a glass!
Alyssa-this sounds wonderful, iced sweets are my absolute favorite!
I’m sitting here after work just salivating…… I must try the recipe. I live in the SF/Bay area so am very lucky to have asian markets etc….. Every July 4th, I make a minted raspberry granita with balsamic reduction-even the teenager likes it.
Oh, that sounds wonderful, SmokeyToes! 🙂
I can send the recipe if you’d like. Just email me at ldetrich at yahoo dot com. I also have a lavender pound cake recipe somewhere…. that is tasty too.
Oh I can imagine that flavor–I bet it’s wonderful. Do you use fresh or frozen rapberries? I find good fresh ones difficult to find here, much of the time.
Hi Alyssa-I use fresh raspberries, and to add flavor, I mix a combination of cranberry juice and merlot (approx 1/4 cup) to add tartness and depth.
Merlot! Perfect. Putting it on the list right now…
Alyssa, thanks so much for the beautiful description and your dedicated research! Also appreciated the link to the Asian shopping website – I think I finally found a chili bean sauce there that I’ve been searching for. 🙂
Hooray, chili bean sauce!
Wow what an awesome project! This totally reminds me of my honeymoon cruise when we had 2 formal dinners that included palette cleanser sorbets. One was an incredible passionfruit, but the other was my favorite…a rose-cinnamon. The color was amazing, and the rose flavor was astounding and complex – I could have eaten more than just the small portion they brought! I completely understand where you are coming from on those fleeting moments of floral brightness on your tongue, and then vanishing…
*makes mental note to book another Celebrity cruise…*
Ha! Glad to inspire another cruise…
Cinnamon and rose is lovely. A friend gave us plums from her tree a few weeks ago, and they disintegrated so quickly I ended up making a gelee out of them, with cinnamon and rosewater. Sort of Parfums DelRae Bois de Paradis jello…
Ooooh, it all sounds delicious! I will certainly try some of these.
I wonder how we in the UK manage without buttermilk: I see it mentioned so often in US recipes.
Buttermilk is my new favorite ingredient, Bela, because it gives creaminess without fat, and because I love that yogurty tang it has. I bet our health craziness over here means lots of recipes substitute it for creme fraiche and the like. But it’s also kind of down-home farm cooking thing–buttermilk biscuits, pancakes, dressing…
You can make a substitute quite easily by adding vinegar to milk. Don’t have the exact proportions on hand but I bet Google does…
The jasmine sorbet sounds divine. I will definitely be making it soon, before the weather starts to cool off again. Actually, I’ve been making excellent use of my ice cream maker this summer: had a box of fig looking not too happy and the fig gelato I made was scrumptious!
Sounds wonderful!
I enjoyed reading this so much Alyssa, you write about the lovliest things! I was given an ice cream maker a few Christmases [sp?] ago & I’ve only used it a handful of times. I’ve only made ice cream so far, and really should try my hand at sorbets. Your recipes sound so refreshing and perfect for this time of year.
Thank you! My ice cream maker has spent most of it’s time on the bottom shelf of the pantry. I’m afraid to have ice cream readily on hand (it, um, disappears too quickly…), but sorbets are a such a nice, summertime option.
This is why I stopped buying kitchen gadgets, sadly! I hate having to store things! But an <$50 ice-cream maker really does sound like it would come in handy. But unless I was making low-fat sorbets all the time, I don't need the extra calories, either!
Thank you so much, Alyssa, for this wonderful article and the recipes.
I also picked up a lot of info on ingredients and sources from the comments, so thanks to all who posted.
My love of tea is probably equal to my love of perfume! I have many teas and people usually give me tea as a present. Earl Grey remains my nr.1 favorite and I am always in search of a more delicious brand.
I also grow scented geraniums and sometimes cook with them. Did you know that there are over 40 different kinds? “Old Spice” is a favorite, but there are so many wonderful aromas and the leaf forms are more interesting than the flowers. There are several lemons (one smells exactly like lemon candy) and quite a few roses. There is nutmeg and cedar and coconut and mandarin orange and pineapple (still trying to locate this one) and chocolate-peppermint and … well, shut me up! I even have a book from years ago with many recipes for cooking with scented geraniums. I turn most of the plants out in the garden for the summer and then need to take them back when the weather turns dark and cold. Then I make lots of cuttings for friends to grow. Simple pound cake made with rose geranium is a real favorite.
That sounds delicious, Jonette.
I also recall a friend talking about making some baked good infused with lemon thyme and lemon thyme simple syrup — I just planted some, and I love just running my hand through the leaves and smelling it.
Ooh – I love scented geraniums Jonette! I’ve grown many of them too. 🙂
That’s fascinating, Jonette! I love scented geraniums. Thanks for your post. 🙂
Chiming in with everyone else to say thank you for posting, Jonette. I was aware of scented geraniums, but had never thought about cooking with them, and haven’t grown them in years. You inspire me. In Texas they overwinter pretty well, it’s the heat of the summer that makes them suffer.
Hmmm…I sense another post forming. You may hear from me…
Alyssa,
What a fascinating story!
It’s thrilling to see the evolution of inspiration, obsession and the final results 🙂
Thanks for sharing the recipes!
The subtle jasmine buttermilk sorbet reminded me of the buttermilk and rosewater ice cream recipe I used to make long ago. I love buttermilk based “ice cream”. The lower amount of fat gives it a very nice solid yet creamy consistency.
I’m going to hunt down those essences and syrups you mentioned. Hope I could find them at T&T markets, though I doubt it.
Ayala, how nice to see you an here! You’re in Vancouver, aren’t you? I would think that city would be full of excellent Asian markets, but perhaps I’m wrong… In any case, yes, buttermilk sorbets, which I just found out last night are also called sherberts, are a wonderful alternative to full fat ice creams. I’m planning to make more–strawberry, blackberry, mmmm….
If you can’t find the mali, maybe you could do the brave thing I didn’t do and make a real jasmine water with some of your aromatics!
Yes, I”m in Vancouver. I just didn’t know about mali… And now that I do I will hunt for it in the Asian grocery stores.
But you are right – I can always use my essences and my dry jasmine and osmanthus flowers. I always get uber-excited exploring new floral flavours in other cultures.
Have you ever tried kewda hydrosol?
You’ll be able to find it in East Indian grocery stores. Works really well in pastries and desserts.
Oooh, thanks for the tip, Ayala! I’ve never smelled kewda, but I will put a visit to the Indian grocery store on my to-do list and look for it.
I’d really like to explore the whole culinary-flower thing further. Non-western cultures seem to have a much richer tradition of using floral essences. When I think of the Western floral flavors I think lavendar, violet, rose…and then I get to the end. But maybe I’m wrong there, too. I know people used to use hyssop. Maybe there are others.
(P.S. Was responding to your comment about the T&T markets, before…)
Hi Alyssa,
I absolutely love your article! (And thank you so very much for linking back to our website re: jasmine marshmallows.) I have most of the ingredients you call for in my own home pantry and am sooo looking forward to making your sorbets! They sound absolutely wonderful!
Kindest regards,
Deanne
Thanks for coming by to read, Deanne! I was so curious about your flower-flavored venture. Sorry I didn’t have space to do much more than link. I think those marshmallows may require further research… 😉
Had to come and tell you that I made the jasmine sorbet….had to tweak it a bit as I couldn’t find any mali (or jasmine essence). I made the simple syrup and steeped dried jasmine in it over night. I absolutely love it and thank you for introducing me to something so simple and delicious 🙂
Oh hooray! That sounds like an improvement over the essence, actually. Where did you find dried jasmine flowers? Will have to keep an eye out for them…
Hi Alyssa, I think you should try this tea, JING Tea Jasmine Silver Needle (bagged), here I found a review for you:
http://www.teaviews.com/2010/08/10/review-jing-tea-jasmine-silver-needle-bagged-2/
I first discovered this tea at a stay at a hotel, since I take most tea cold brewed, so I took the tea bag home with me, at first try, I am stunned!
It makes me feel like I was surrounded with jasmine, yet it’s very transparent, certainly make my day brighter, try it, I guaranteed you’ll fall in love with this one 😉
Thanks for the tip, Veronique! If the scent is strong when it’s cold-brewed that sounds very promising…
What a great post! I wish I had an ice cream maker; as soon as I get one, I am trying to make this! But already, I want to go back to your original jasmine and orange flavoured sorbet…
Have you tried the Silver Cloud Jasmine essence? It seems more reasonable than the chef’s essence.
And as for tea, well, tea is really just the other side of the perfume coin… I’ve got a pretty strong addiction to it! And being based in Europe, well, I am going through the Mariages Frères “parfums”. One of my favourites is a green tea called The de l’Opera; I think it would make an amazing sorbet.
You should try their teas; they have a great online store.
Tallulah, I haven’t tried the Silver Cloud essence yet, but a bottle may be in my future. It does look good, doesn’t it?
Would love to try the famous Mariages Frères as well, but I’m afraid to start buying whole boxes/canisters of teas, in the same way I was afraid to start buying whole bottles of perfumes (with good reason, it turns out 🙂 ) So far I’ve limited myself to sampling from the bulk teas available at my fancy grocery store. Maybe for my next special occasion moment, though…