Spice Dreams: Flavored Ice Creams and Other Frozen Treats by Sara Engram and Katie Luber with Nancy Meadows and Kimberly Toqe (Andrews McMell, $16.99)
The making of ice cream has certainly changed in Tucson since 1869 when an Italian from Sonora concocted the first batch ever tasted in the Old Pueblo. Made in a hand-cranked freezer and served at Carrillo Gardens, it was such a hit an icehouse was soon constructed to make the treat more available. That was then, this is now.
Ice cream has never been accessible. Dozens of cookbooks have been published in recent years and almost every home has an ice cream maker. Sara Engram and Katie Luber, founders of The Seasoned Palate, a Baltimore-based company that specializes in packaging organic spices in one-teaspoon packets for convenience and freshness, have compiled a collection of recipes with an emphasis on fresh and natural ingredients. The fifty recipes including ice creams, sorbets, sundaes, ice cream sandwiches, and other delectable frozen treats are certain to please ice cream connoisseurs throughout the country.
Two recipes were tested from this collection, Chile-Lemongrass Ice Cream (it’s better than you think), and a delightful Coconut-Ginger Sorbet. Most of the recipes in “Spice Dreams” are fairly straight-forward and accessible. What sets them apart from ones found in other collections is the use of spices such as ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, and cardamom.
It’s summer, it’s hot, and it’s time to break out the ice cream freezer. This dandy little cookbook serves up tasty frozen treats with the added zest of spices.

Coconut-Ginger Sorbet
¾ c sugar
¾ c water
1 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp salt
1 (14-oz) can coconut milk
¼ c flaked coconut
¼ tsp vanilla extract
Combine the sugar, water, ginger, and salt in a medium heavy saucepan. Heat the sugar mixture over medium heat, stirring gently, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the syrup is clear, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let steep for one hour.
Combine the coconut milk, flaked coconut, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Strain the syrup mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into the coconut mixture. Whisk until the syrup and coconut milk are completely mixed. Cover and refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight. The sorbet mixture may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freeze the chilled sorbet mixture in an ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer the sorbet to an airtight container and freeze in the freezer for 2 to 4 hours before serving. This recipe makes about 3 cups.

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