NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665

May 20, 1999

Prairie Fare: Why Eskimos Might Buy Ice ... Cream

It seems as though many people believe life is getting simpler. These pundits of pragmatism would like us to believe that everything boils down to supply and demand. If people want something—or perceive they need it—they'll buy it, but if they don't, they won't.

Of course, items in short supply always seem to be what people demand most.

While it might take a super salesperson to peddle ice to Eskimos (plenty of supply and only tepid demand, I'm guessing), I think I could heat up their interest in an ice cream treat: Mom and Dad's homemade sherbet.

When Dad was alive, Mom and he would always team up to make sherbet or ice cream. Mom did the mixing and Dad did the freezing.

The last time I ate a bowl of my parents' sherbet was on Easter weekend 1992. I remember Dad saying it had taken an extraordinarily long time to freeze—which is one reason the sherbet was so extraordinary. The freezer's paddle had whipped so much air into the sherbet that each bite seemed as if it might float off my spoon. Equally as light were the faintness of its lemony flavor and the paleness of its yellow color.

Another reason that particular batch of sherbet was extraordinary is because Dad died in August that year, and as far as I know, Mom hasn't gotten the ice cream freezer out since.

Eating is a sensory experience. Eating inspires certain feelings—namely, the warm memories that certain foods connote. It doesn't take a bottom-liner to figure that out.

Likewise, the following recipe doesn't require an advanced degree to prepare, but it does demand that you have access to an ice cream freezer. A hand-crank model works OK, especially if someone else is willing to help out.

Sherbet
Yield: 36 servings (1/2 cup each)

Ingredients:
juice of 4 large lemons
juice of 4 oranges
1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
4 cups sugar
1 quart whipping cream
1 quart 1-percent milk
yellow food coloring
fresh mint leaves (optional)

Procedure:
In a large bowl, mix together everything except food coloring and mint leaves. Add food coloring one drop at a time to achieve desired color. Pour mixture into the container of an ice cream freezer. Freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. If desired, garnish each serving with a mint leaf.

What's Your Take on This, Julie

Food certainly has meanings beyond the basic sustenance it provides. Aroma, texture and flavor can conjure memories. This week's recipe may be a good chance to start building on food-related memories. At 200 calories and 10 grams of fat per half-cup serving, this sherbet recipe is lower in calories and fat than premium ice cream, plus it provides about 10 percent of the daily recommendation for vitamin C.

If you've checked out the frozen desserts section lately you'll see that frozen desserts are growing in popularity and variety. In 1997, more than 65 percent of commercial foodservice establishments served ice cream, and about 76 percent of schools served some type of novelty bar or ice cream sandwich on their menus.

Sherbet falls into the dairy dessert category. Commercial sherbet contains 1 to 2 percent milkfat and 2 to 5 percent milk solids. It generally contains fruit juice, and it has more sugar added than does ice cream, unless it is artificially sweetened.

Ice cream, on the other hand, must contain 10 percent milkfat and 20 percent milk solids by weight to be labeled ice cream. Frozen custards, commonly called French vanilla ice cream, contain egg yolk solids that are cooked to a custard before freezing. The term "ice milk" no longer has a legal definition, so it is no longer used.

Frozen yogurt has a texture that varies from soft to firm. It also varies in its fat and calorie content. If it's labeled as being low fat, it must contain less than 3 grams of fat per serving.

Sorbets are often served as appetizers or palate cleansers between courses of a meal in some restaurants, or as desserts. They are blends of fruit and sweeteners and may have gelatin or egg white added for smoothness.

People on special diets usually can find a frozen product that meets their needs. For example, there are soy-based desserts that meet the needs of those with lactose intolerance. These individuals have difficulty digesting milk sugar.

Frozen treats can fit into a healthful diet. If you prefer the "high-test" version, try a smaller portion. Become a food-label reader, and balance your high-calorie or high-fat treats with lower-fat food choices such as fruits and vegetables at other times during the day. Or top off your treat with a brisk walk.

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Sources: Dean Hulse (701) 231-6136 and Julie Garden-Robinson (701) 231-7187

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