"The Perfect Scoop" news and stories

Photo: Amazon.com.

'The Perfect Scoop'
Recipes by David Lebovitz
Photographs by Lara Hata
Ten Speed Press -- 2007
Buy it on Amazon

Clinging to the very last bit of warm weather, we hoped that making several batches of ice cream would encourage Mother Nature to hold out on cooler weather for a little longer. David Lebovitz, a well-known pastry chef, received much of his training at Alice Waters' Chez Panisse in California. Now based in Paris, Lebovitz merges all things sweet and makes them manageable for the home cook. "The Perfect Scoop" is a testament to how ice cream should be made: creamy, sweet, savory and with unlimited creativity.

While ice cream takes center stage, Lebovitz also includes recipes for sorbets, sherbets, granitas, sauces and toppings. Boasting both classics, such as Malted Milk and Tin Roof Ice Cream, and more modern flavors of Crème Fraiche, Goat Cheese and Roquefort Honey Ice Creams, this book lends itself to a wide audience. Strawberry and Mojito Granitas will be a big hit at the next autumn barbecue, and adults and children alike with be excited to see the bright fruit sherbet and sorbet combinations.

See what we tested and find out whether the book's worth buying after the jump.

For my last birthday, a (very generous) friend got me the ice cream maker that fits onto a Kitchen Aid mixer. I was thrilled to receive it, but then tucked it at the top of my kitchen cabinet and left it to languish for more than a month. My excuses were many, included the fact that life got busy, I didn't have room in my freezer to chill the bowl and I just didn't have any good recipes for ice cream.

However, in my travels through the many food blogs out there, I kept hearing about a book that contained fantastic and tasty recipes. The pictures and tales people posted tempted me out of my ice cream apathy, I ordered the book (David Lebovitz's The Perfect Scoop) and started my own experimentation with the wonders of homemade ice cream. My most recent batch was the Fresh Ginger Ice Cream (on page 43), and let me tell you, it was fantastic. I took it to dinner with friends, and at the end of the night I ran my finger around the bottom of the container in a vain attempt to grab the last few drops. The recipe is after the jump.

photo by Marisa McClellan