Strawberry-Raspberry Sorbet

I'm the kind of cook whose food cravings depend on the season. In the Winter I feel like hibernating inside all day, and that's usually when I find myself making slow-cooked meals; a hearty soup simmering away on the stove, a fresh baked loaf of bread in the oven. But come Spring, my palate wants one thing and one thing only: fruit. Lots and lots of fruit. Spring is when berries are bountiful and at their ripest; they are usually cheaper around this time, too.

This strawberry-raspberry sorbet is the first thing I make when it's warm outside and I bring home too many berries than I know what to do with. It produces a beautiful reddish-pink sorbet that is tangy and sweet all at the same time. Although this recipe is quite simple, the one thing I must preface is the importance of using fresh, local or organic berries at the peak of their flavor; trust me on this one, it can make or break the taste of your sorbet.
Yield: Makes one quart.

Strawberry-Raspberry Sorbet
Recipe adapted from Gabrielle Carbone, coproprietor of The Bent Spoon ice cream parlor in Princeton, New Jersey

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup water, preferably spring or filtered water (this sorbet is essentially fruit and water, so what you put in is what you get)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 pounds of fresh strawberries, rinsed, patted and dry, and hulled
• 1/2 pound of fresh raspberries
• 2 1/2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice, depending on sweetness of berries
  
• 1 large egg white (optional- but it helps stabilize and preserve the consistency of the sorbet if you plan to keep it in your freezer for a few days)

Directions:

1. To make a simple syrup, combine the sugar, water and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar and salt dissolves, about 2-3 minutes. Let cool for at least 10 minutes.
2. In a blender, puree the strawberries, raspberries, simple syrup and lemon juice in batches, until very smooth.
3. Transfer puree into pitcher or an open container, and cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours. (You can leave it over night if needed)
4. Churn in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions. If you are using the egg white, add it during the last few minutes of churning.
5. The sorbet is particularly soft after churning. If you prefer a firmer texture, freeze for at least one hour before serving.
6. Store tightly covered, in the freezer.