In 400 BC the Persians created a new chilled dessert  made from rose water and a type of vermicelli that was served to royalty during summers. The ice was mixed with saffron, a variety of fruit and various other flavours. It is still made in Iran today and is called faloodeh but today it is made from a starch that is then spun in a sieve-like machine that produces threads or drops of the batter that are, first, boiled in water. This mixture is then frozen and mixed with rose water and lemons shortly before it is served. In Sicily ice-cream is eaten constantly and sorbets are preferred because it’s so hot.

SORBETTO D’AGRUMI DEL SULTANO

(Sultans tropical sorbet)

Ingredients

• 500 ml fresh mandarin juice, strained
• 500 ml fresh orange juice, strained
• 500 ml juice squeezed from fresh ripe lemons, strained
• 500 ml juice squeezed from green lemons, strained
• 400 g sugar
• 200 ml rum

Method

• Whisk all the juices together, add 500 ml water,  all the sugar and the rum.
• Pour into an ice making machine and freeze.
• If you don’t have the ice making machine, pour the liquid into flat metal trays and freeze for at least three hours until the sorbet is half frozen (it has a lazy, jelly like consistency).
• Remove this and place in a well cooled mixing bowl (keep the bowl in the fridge) and beat very well with egg beater.
• Return to freezer for another hour and repeat the process – you will have to repeat it a few times, but it is worth the effort!
• If you have a problem because you are at work, do so on a Saturday – it keeps like a dream!