WiTh your Wine

Lemon ice

It’s hot. Everyone is cranky. So buy some lemons on closeout and make this, which is so easy you’ll wonder why you never did it before. It doesn’t need an ice cream maker or top chef skills — just lots of lemons and and a freezer.

Serves four, takes about 2 1/2 hours (adapted from Mark Bittman’s “How to Cook Everything”)

1 to 2 c of simple syrup

1 1/2 c freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 12 lemons)

1. Make the simple syrup by combining 2 cups water and 1 cup sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, and stir constantly until sugar dissolves. Let cool

2. Mix 1 cup of cooled simple syrup with the lemon juice. Add more syrup if it’s not sweet enough (which is a matter of taste).

3. Pour the mixture into a shallow glass or ceramic pan and freeze for about 2 hours. Stir every 30 minutes to break up the mixture, which gives it its unique texture.

ask the Wine Guy?

What’s the difference betWeen a blend and a varietal Wine?

A varietal wine is wine made with just one grape variety, like chardonnay or merlot. A blend is made with more than one grape. There isn’t any difference in terms of quality between the two; mostly, the difference is in the person drinking the wine and what they like.

—JEFF SIEGEL