“In a generation of busyness and schedules and desperate convenience, I hope to encourage people to eat at home with people they care about, to compose produce-focused meals, and to value their health, through the food choices they make. My contribution to that is accessible recipes that take more time to prepare than eating out or microwaving, but reward you with the joy there is in feeding people well.”

Sara Forte, Bowl + Spoon

Sara put into words so beautifully what I felt the moment I found her blog. Her recipes send me bounding into the kitchen eager to make dinner, her words, comfortable and easy, have me pining for a seat at her table, and Hugh’s photos show the simple beauty in food and the cooking process in a very real way and yet every photo feels like a piece of art. They also happen to be two of the best people we know.

While I may tend to use a bit more butter than Sara (and not surprisingly the first thing I make from her book is dessert) her food is nutritious in a way that is doable. The ingredients don’t force you to wander the streets in search for the nearest health food store and they don’t require a few days to soak. Sara’s food, like her, is inspiring, inviting and comfortable. And most importantly, it’s just damn good.

I know that Sara and I do share a similar, shall we say, appreciation for ice cream. So of course that’s the first recipe I jumped to . The simplicity of the sorbet had me doubting its merit until I scooped out a slumped spoonful from the machine. It was deeply coconut flavored and perfectly sweet, as in, not too much so.

The simple tart and sweet sauce pooled in the bottom of the bowl made it somewhat reminiscent of an affogato. For that reason I kept the sauce a bit warm to mimic that same magic that happens when cold ice cream meets hot espresso.

My first trip to the grocery store I failed to gather pistachios. I lamented to Sara about my mistake. “Oh no! It’s ruined.” She joked in her text. But I did go back for pistachios and I’m not sorry because they add the perfect bit of crunch.

Sara and Hugh, you guys have done it again. It’s a stunning work of art that will find its way into my kitchen again and again.

In my excitement for the book’s release I eagerly pre-ordered two copies which I think works out perfectly because now I can share the book with two of you! If you would like a chance to win a copy please leave a comment below. I’ll pick two winners on Monday (4/6). I hate to do this to my non-US readers but for this one I’m just going to keep it to the states. Thanks.

Coconut Sorbet with Strawberry Rhubarb Sauce

This recipe is written as it appears in the book. Sara suggests stirring ins 1/2 tablespoon of fresh ginger into the sauce after it’s cooked. I left in out in mine but you can add it if you’d like.

The texture of the sorbet is best the day it is made.

Serves 6

3 cups coconut milk (2 13-ounce cans)

2/3 cup natural cane sugar

1 tablespoon brown rice syrup

sea salt

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

SAUCE

4 cups chopped ripe strawberries

3/4 cup diced rhubarb

1/4 cup natural cane sugar

1/2 cup pistachios, finely chopped

In a medium pot, warm 2 cups of the coconut milk, the sugar, brown rice syrup, and a pinch of salt. Simmer, stirring occasionally over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. In a large bowl, add the remaining cup of coconut milk and stir in the vanilla and cornstarch to dissolve. Slowly stir the warm coconut milk into the coconut-cornstarch mixture. Set the bowl in the fridge to cool completely. Once cooled, churn the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Leave the mixture to set fully in the freezer.

For the sauce, in a heavy saucepan over medium low heat, combine the strawberries, rhubarb, a pinch of salt, and the sugar. Leave everything to very gently simmer for about 20 minutes. Give it a stir and barely simmer again, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes longer. you will have chunks of fruit between a loose liquid; this will set more as it cools to become a thicker sauce. Allow the mixture to cool, uncovered, to room temperature. The sauce can be kept, covered, in the fridge for 1 week.

Serve the sundaes with a puddle of the sauce, a few scoops of sorbet, another drizzle of sauce, and pistachios on top.

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