ONE Zest at least 3 lemons to fill 1/3 cup. Lemons vary in size and rind thickness so keep zesting until you have the 1/3 cup.

TWO Juice the lemons until you yield 1 cup of juice. I'm using an electric citrus juicer because it's quicker than by hand.

THREE Pour the juice through a strainer into a glass bowl. I'm straining it because I want a very smooth-textured sorbet.

FOUR Stir sugar and water together in a medium saucepan. Apply medium-high heat and stir until sugar dissolves. Add zest.

FIVE Bring syrup to a boil and boil 2 minutes. Pour syrup through a strainer into center of the lemon juice bowl.

SIX Set your bowl of liquid in a bigger bowl filled with ice and water. Stir to bring down the temperature of the sorbet base to below 40 degrees.

SEVEN Pour the chilled mixture into an ice cream maker (I'm using a frozen canister type. See our review of ice cream makers). Follow the manufacturer's directions.

EIGHT When the mixture nears a firm slush (about 20 to 30 minutes), remove the paddle. Cover with plastic wrap and put it in the freezer for 2-3 hours before serving. This gives it a chance to firm up a bit.