Orange Blossom Pomegranate Cheesecake

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Orange Blossom Pomegranate Cheesecake

There is something special about cheesecake.  Tasty and creamy, it seems to somehow make everything right at the end of a nice meal.  I have made a few cheesecakes in my life.  From rich decadent amaretto topped with juicy delicious cherries to one made of yogurt with a crust of granola and topped with an array of fresh fruit. 

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Honeyed Peach Lemon Balm Sorbet

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Each summer finds me eagerly awaiting the arrival of the peaches.  To me peaches are the best of summer captured in fuzzy orbs of juicy deliciousness.  Blessed are we to have a local farmer's market just minutes from our door where the most amazing organic peaches are sold freshly picked off the trees.  And each week the stout farmers from Morton's Orchardsdrive their beautiful fruit through the Rocky Mountains to bring those of us on the Front Range of Colorado peaches, apricots and cherries.  And, it gets even better because they sell seconds.  Seconds!  I really shouldn't be telling you this because the seconds are coveted and they go fast.  You have to get to the market before it even opens and stand in line to get your box of seconds.  The "second" peaches are super tasty even if they are a little funny looking at times.  I consider it an honor when I am lucky enough to get my own box of seconds.

This past weekend I was one of the happy few to get a box of seconds.  And throughout the week we have enjoyed munching on bright juicy peaches savoring each tasty bite.  But now the week has grown old and I still have a lot of peaches.  After a bit of thought I decided to whip out the ice cream maker to create some peach sorbet.  For a bit of pizzazz cheery lemon balm seems like the perfect accompaniment.  If you have never had lemon balm, I highly suggest you seek it out.  Bright and happy, lemon balm has a beautiful lemony scent that lends it's self well to many foods.  Plus it is a beneficial plant for the nervous system and it great during the heat of summer for crankiness that comes when we get tired and overheated.  Click here to read more about this special plant.

Making Sorbet

Here is what you will need:

  • 6 to 8 super ripe peaches, pit removed and chopped
  • 1/4 cup of farm stand honey (plus more to adjust for taste, just in case)
  • 1/4 cup hot water
  • 5 sprigs of fresh lemon balm, chopped
  • 1 Tbs. lemon juice

Easy Instructions:

Mix the hot water and honey to dissolve the honey.  Place everything in the blender and whirl it up until well blended.  Then just pour it in your ice cream maker and wait, patiently...

For a more in-depth discussion about making sorbet visit Simply Cooking.  She recommends using just a bit of alcohol to keep the sorbet from getting rock hard.  I think this is ingenious yet I didn't do it with this sorbet because I wanted my kiddos to partake.  I am looking forward to someday giving it a try.

Shared on the Living Green Link-upand the Natural Living Link-Up