[shur-bit] 
| 1. | a frozen fruit-flavored mixture, similar to an ice, but with milk, egg white, or gelatin added. |
| 2. | British. a drink made of sweetened fruit juice diluted with water and ice. |
| 3. | a frozen fruit or vegetable purée, served either between courses to cleanse the palate or as a dessert. |
| sher·bet (shûr'bĭt) n.
[Ottoman Turkish, sweet fruit drink, from Persian sharbat, from Arabic šarba, drink, from šariba, to drink; see śrb in Semitic roots.] Word History: Although the word sherbet has been in the English language for several centuries (it was first recorded in 1603), it has not always referred to what one normally thinks of as sherbet. Sherbet came into English from Ottoman Turkish sherbet or Persian sharbat, both going back to Arabic šarba, "drink." The Turkish and Persian words referred to a beverage of sweetened, diluted fruit juice that was popular in the Middle East and imitated in Europe. In Europe sherbet eventually came to refer to a carbonated drink. Because the original Middle Eastern drink contained fruit and was often cooled with snow, sherbet was applied to a frozen dessert (first recorded in 1891). It is distinguished slightly from sorbet, which can also mean "a fruit-flavored ice served between courses of a meal." Sorbet (first recorded in English in 1585) goes back through French (sorbet) and then Italian (sorbetto) to the same Turkish sherbet that gave us sherbet. |
sherbet
frozen dessert usually flavoured with fruit, made from water, sugar, flavourings, and milk or cream. Egg white or gelatin may be added to ensure a fine texture. Sherbets may also be flavoured with wine or liqueurs. By U.S. federal regulation, sherbets must contain a minimum of 1 percent and a maximum of 2 percent butterfat. Water ice, called in French sorbet and in Italian granita, is similar to sherbet but contains no dairy ingredients.
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