Diane Yang, La Belle Vie (Minneapolis)

Applesorbet
This light intermezzo, a refreshing palate-cleansing course between dinner and dessert, is a tribute to apple season in the upper Midwest. Chef Yang has prepared Haralson apple in three ways, piercing a chilled sorbet with dehydrated apple spikes, and setting it on a mound of compressed apple chunks. The seasonal flavor is continued through a muted palette of rose tones, and punctuated by deep red amaranth leaves that are evocative of fall. Like tree branches, tall apple chip pillars extend upward from the tilted glass vessel, which cups the sorbet like an offering or specimens in a terrarium. When working with apple, citrus juice is used to prevent oxidization and browning. Yang extends this association by encircling the apple elements with a foamy lime espuma, which balances the dish with a bright tangy flavor.