Sorbet, beef, bouncing babies

Q: Is there a difference between sorbet and sherbet?.....Jane, S

A: Yes Jane, there is a difference between sorbet and sherbet. As a kid I loved the orange and raspberry sherbet that came in the plastic gallon tubs (when gallons were still gallons). Although the taste is similar there is a slight difference in consistency between the two, the sherbet being a little creamier than sorbet. The reason for this is the 1 to 2% milk fat, and sometimes eggs, generally used in the production of sherbet, not found in sorbet. So if your reason for eating a ‘healthier’ dessert includes cutting out dairy, than your choice would be sorbet.

I often use my ice cream maker to make a delicious, smooth, fruity sorbet. Yum. It is simple to make and the taste is worth the work.

Q: I have a new rotisserie oven and want to make a beef roast. What kind of cut would work the best on the spit? …… Ray,D

A: According to the local butcher there are 48 different cuts of meat from a single cow, and nine different areas to choose from. The answer as to what works best on the spit however appears to be more of a personal preference. Look for a cut that has some natural fat on it, so when it turns on the spit the natural juices keep it moist. Tenderloins are nice, but pricey. Sirloin works as well if you like the gamier taste of a sirloin. Rib eye and top loin are good choices, since the long slow cooking will bring out the best and most tender results. Stay away from the cuts that are tougher and less flavorful such as chuck and round, more successfully used in pot roasts and crock pots.

A tip when putting your roast on the rotisserie, don’t overcook. The meat keeps cooking after you take it out of the oven. Use a meat thermometer to check it and take it out before the desired temperature is reached.

Q: What is the most children a woman ever had? ……..Suzy. S

A: According to the Guinness Book of Records, a Russian woman had four sets of quads, seven sets of triplets and 16 sets of twins. The notes indicate that the woman was known only as “the wife of Feodor Vassilyev” from the village of Shuya, who gave birth to 69 children in the 18th century during 27 pregnancies. Yikes, talk about raising a village.

An Italian woman, Madalene Granata, bore 15 sets of triplets between 1839 and 1886. Enough for several ball teams…...

And then there is the woman in California in 2009 who had six boys and two girls, the most living births ever recorded.

Have a question, or is there something you’ve always wondered about?

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