Food and Gift

Sumptuous Delights Best Enjoyed Cold

To the common man’s palate, ice cream is probably the first thing that comes to mind when asked about a cold dessert. So, a dinner at an upscale restaurant can discourage anyone who comes across less-than-familiar cold dessert terms. Here are the most common ones which are fast gaining popularity and worth learning about, just so you can enjoy life’s cold pleasures, besides the usual ice cream.

Granita

Ice cream is cream frozen, but granite is frozen ice. The difference is, the texture of granite is sharper and grainier and not creamy at all, because it is not churned in an ice cream machine. Fruit, sugar, or alcohol like wine is blended and poured into a shallow pan, and then kept to freeze. When frozen, the dish is created by scraping the top with a spoon. It makes for a good dessert because of the ice crystals that melts immediately upon touching the tongue.

Sorbet

If you love fruits, then you will enjoy a sorbet for dessert. A sorbet is made by combining pureed fresh fruit, and a sugar and water syrup. This mixture is churned by an ice cream machine and then frozen, then whipped to add air. When this is done, the mixture is then stored in the freezer at a preferred temperature of 10 degreees Fahrenheit. Sorbet lovers enjoy this cold dessert between courses, and like it with mint leaves or citrus swirls or biscotti or wafer bits for a palate cleanser.

Parfait

To the untrained taste buds, a true parfait can be easily mistaken for an ice cream. However, it is actually lighter and airier. A mixer is used to combine egg yolks sugar into a whipped consistency, until it is ribbon-like. Simultaneous to the whipping process is the soft ball stage, where water and sugar are cooked together, and poured into the egg yolk mixture to “cook” it. Then, when this cools, flavors like praline or hazelnut are added. Whipped cream is folded in for a light consistency, and the finished dessert is served in parfait glasses.

Food and Gift Packages are a Welcome Gift

When it comes to giving gifts to friends and family, sending home and garden products adds a personalized touch and tells them that you know what they like. Some of the best gifts that you can give are unique food and drink options such as cookie and chocolate baskets from Become.com. Everyone appreciates a delicious treat and food and drink gifts are a perfect way to show you care.

If that special someone in your life has a sweet tooth, gourmet chocolates are a great gift. If not, there are many other delectable gift choices at Become.com including rich, organic Mexican coffee and delicious nut gift packs. There’s something to match everyone’s taste and when you purchase a food or drink gift from Beyond.com, the person you give it to can appreciate it with every sip or bite.