According to legend, in the first century AD the Roman Emperor Nero had runners pass buckets of snow hand over hand from the mountains to his banquet hall in Rome, where it was then mixed with honey and wine. And, presto, sorbet was born.
John Holster, owner of Poppy’s Frozen Yogurt & Waffle Shop in Tahoe City, doesn’t go to quite the same lengths as Nero, but the result is the same — a frozen, alcoholic dessert. Holster’s adults-only sorbet, which he has made in four flavors, is the perfect treat for warm summer days when you can’t decide between a libation or a lick of ice cream.
Holster and his wife, Sarah, Poppy’s waffle chef, came up with the idea of an alcoholic sorbet in April when they were searching for a grown-up alternative to frozen yogurt. Their first experiment was a cabernet sauvignon sorbet. It got a good response from customers, so Holster went on to try a mimosa sorbet made with champagne and orange juice, as well as rose champagne and merlot sorbets.
“People want a treat, but adults want a little extra kick,” Sarah said. “It’s the same as having a glass of wine but more refreshing and more of a treat.”
The sorbets are the real deal — they are made with actual wine or champagne and not much else, and contain almost the same percentage of alcohol as the liquid form. It’s as if a wine cooler fell into your ice cream cone.
“A small cup is similar to having a glass of wine,” said Holster, a former bartender at the Resort at Squaw Creek’s Bullwhackers (now Sandy’s Pub) and former wine seller at the now defunct Time for Wine. “It’s not cut very much.”
For that reason, customers must consume the sorbets on site, but Holster is hoping to get his off-premise sales permit in six months, which would allow him to sell sorbets to go. People could then enjoy their frozen cocktails at the beach or park or at home.
So far, the mimosa sorbet has proved to be the most popular.
“The mimosa is the most appealing to people because it has a summertime ring to it,” Holster said.
Customers have started customizing their sorbets, mixing them with frozen yogurt or other alcoholic flavors. A favorite is to blend the mimosa sorbet with peach fro-yo, creating a Bellini — an Italian cocktail made with sparkling wine and peach purée. The Holsters even had one customer ask them to make a half cabernet, half mimosa sorbet for the 250 guests at her wedding. They hope to serve their sorbets at more parties and events such as the Autumn Food & Wine Festival.
The next on Holster’s list to try — a sauvignon blanc sorbet.
Holster said that in the short time they have been selling the alcoholic sorbets at Poppy’s, word has spread. Why does he think the desserts have caught on?
“It’s more refreshing than red wine would sound to drink in the sun.”
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