296601 Fri Mar 26 20:02:34 -0800 2004 7 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1634328 Has anyone tried "Out of a Flower" brand French Lavender sorbet? I saw it tonight at Dean & DeLuca -- $8/pint. Tomorrow night I'm serving a rich paté to start the meal followed by a fairly rich main course, and am looking for a palate cleanser, not to be pretentious, just to break up the two courses. Am wondering whether this sorbet would work or if it's too desserty sweet. There's also a Green Apple flavor which could work. Fri Mar 26 20:02:34 -0800 2004 0 Puddle 1 1634342 I haven't tried the lavender flavor, but since you're asking for tomorrow, I'll share this for what it's worth: I did try the orange-caramel flavor last year and thought it was almost without flavor--but definitely not too sweet. Someone else posted that they liked the peach-mint. Sat Mar 27 00:49:27 -0800 2004 1634328 0 PayOrPlay 1 1634345 Lavender ice cream is a GREAT treat, wonderful on the palate... Les Nomades in Chicago does a great rendition of it. Go for it. Sat Mar 27 01:38:02 -0800 2004 1634328 0 Chicago Mike 1 1634384 Puddle, did you try this for your dinner? How was it? Sun Mar 28 00:24:01 -0800 2004 1634328 0 PayOrPlay 2 1634388 Thanks for asking. I did try it between courses. First course was paté de foie grâs with black truffles, main course was a pork tenderloin roast and a potato gratin. So I wanted something to break up the fatty richness of the two courses. The lavender sorbet was sort of in the right direction, but this particular version is definitely more of a dessert. It was quite sweet. I don't know whether there's anything on the market that will do what I was hoping for -- maybe I'll have to break down and make my own granité. Sun Mar 28 02:15:36 -0800 2004 1634384 0 Puddle 3 1634391 So I wanted something to break up the fatty richness of the two courses. **************** Fruit Soup with lemon is one of the great dishes for this. 1) In a base of fresh mixed fruit juice (cherry, pineapple, & citrus) add fresh squeezed juice of 1/2 lemon, 2) add chopped mix fruit & berries... The fruit is very freshening and the lemon is a powerful cleanser. Agree that lavender ice cream (or any ice cream) is much better as a dessert item than as palate freshening... Sun Mar 28 03:07:57 -0800 2004 1634388 0 Chicago Mike 4 1634414 The fruit soup sounds great; I'll keep it in mind for next time. Thanks! Sun Mar 28 15:51:42 -0800 2004 1634391 0 Puddle 1 1634400 Out of a Flower's ice cream is the best commercially made ice cream in America. Its texture is surprisingly close to that which you would have with a White Mountain freezer. I believe it is worth $8.00 a pint. Sorbet seems "richer" than others. Sun Mar 28 12:36:17 -0800 2004 1634328 0 Joe H.