It’s hot out there: Time to make fresh lime ice

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In my household, I usually make the ice creams and do the baking. But when my husband was cooking up a big meal from one of Rick Bayless’ Mexican cookbooks (there are so many), he took it upon himself to make the Chicago-based chef’s Fresh Lime Ice With Berries from ‘Mexican Everyday.’

Nothing unusual about the recipe. Basically, it’s fresh squeezed lime juice, water and sugar, along with lots of freshly grated lime zest. It’s the balance of sweet to tart that’s so perfect.

Wednesday afternoon, when the heat was at its peak, we remembered we had a little left in the freezer. Icy cold with that zing of fresh, tart lime, it’s somehow incredibly refreshing.

This, basically, is the recipe with all due credit to Mr. Bayless: To serve six, grate the zest of two limes and scrape into a large bowl. Juice 5 or 6 large limes (enough to make 3/4 cup lime juice) and add to the zest. Add 1 cup sugar, 1/3 cup corn syrup and 1-3/4 cups water. Stir until the sugar dissolves.

Pour into your ice cream maker and freeze.

He suggests making the ice several hours ahead and transferring it from the ice cream maker into a container and letting it firm up in the freezer. Best eaten within 24 hours.

Oh, and he serves it sprinkled with raspberries, blackberries or quartered strawberries.

What did I say? Easy.

-- S. Irene Virbila