Primary Sherbet

Well, sumer is soon to be icumen in, despite the unseasonably cool and rainy weather we're having in the Seattle area, so it's time to share another loved family recipe:

This is my mom's version, a slight tweak from the original recipe which was published in the Children's Friend magazine in the 1930s or '40s. Primary sherbet is a thing of beauty. It's been made and enjoyed in my family for at least four generations now. Simple to make, and relatively cheap (OK, I grew up in California where we picked oranges and lemons off the trees in our back yards, but even if you have to buy your citrus it's still pretty darn cheap). Just remember not to mess around with the sugar and fat -- you must use WHOLE MILK and ALL THE SUGAR as called for in the recipe, or you will be disappointed with the results.

So:

2 c. whole milk
2 c. pineapple juice
1/2 c. orange juice
1/2 c. grapefruit juice
juice of 2 lemons
zest of 1 lemon
2 c. sugar

Stir together all ingredients in a large bowl. Freeze, stirring occasionally during the freezing process so the texture doesn't get too icy. (You could probably also make it in an ice cream freezer; I've just never tried it.)

Et voilà! Summer in a cup.