Trivia 1: sorbet vs sherbet

going to start posting some trivia... hopefully everyday.. hee hee..

tat day we were eating ice monster and i said that sherbet should be spelt as sorbet.. well.. i was not exactly right but also not exactly wrong.. guess it can be used interchangeably... :)


Sorbet is often confused with Water Ice, Italian ice, and Sherbet. The FDA does not have a classification for sorbet as it is a synonym for sherbet. Sherbet in the United States must also include dairy ingredients such as milk or cream to reach a milkfat content between 1% and 2%. Products with higher milkfat content are defined as ice cream; products with lower milkfat content are defined as water ice.[3] Although the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably in the United States, the use of the term "sorbet" is unregulated and is most commonly used to with non-dairy, fruit juice "water ice" products.[4]
The word "Sorbet" (pron. IPA: /sɔrˈbeɪ, ˈsɔrbɨt, sɔrˈbɛt/) is French (pron. IPA: [sɔʀˈbɛ]) for the Ottoman Turkish word "Sherbet".[5] Sorbets/sherbets may also contain alcohol, which lowers the freezing temperature, resulting in a softer texture.
Whereas ice cream has air whipped into it, sorbet has almost none, which makes for a dense and extremely flavourful product. Sorbet is served as a non-fat or low-fat (sometimes 3% fat) alternative to ice cream.
In Italy a virtually identical dish called granita is made, which is only really different from sorbet in that it has a crunchier texture because of the freezing process. As the liquid freezes, it forms noticeably large-size crystals, which should not be present in sorbet because of the stirring. Granita is also often sharded with a fork to give an even crunchier texture when served.
Agraz is a type of sorbet, usually associated with the Maghreb and north Africa. It is made from almonds, verjuice, and sugar. It has a strongly acidic flavour, because of the verjuice. (Larousse Gastronomique)

stay tune for more trivia tomorrow...

ps. my back still aches.. entertaining thoughts of admitting myself into A&E. haha..