In the UK (and probably most other Commonwealth countries) sherbet is a white powder commonly found in various sweets and confectionery. Its main properties are an acidic, tingly taste and it quickly dissolves in water. Popular products made from sherbet that I remember from my youth include:

I believe that in much of the USA sherbet is some kind of drink: if anyone knows what the US term for this fizzy powder is I'd be interested.

Sylvar says In the US, sherbet is very bad sorbet. The only thing similar to UK sherbet, as far as I know, is "Lik-m-Aid" (Wonka's Fun Dip). The powder doesn't have its own name here, though.

Well, since no-one has been bothered to add it yet, I shall post a recipe for making the sugary, tangy substance known sherbet powder. Ingredients Preparation Before starting this, make sure all equipment is completely dry. Any liquid will cause this to go horribly, horribly wrong. You have been warned. Place the icing sugar, citric acid, and bicarb into a sieve and crush through into a bowl using the back of a metal spoon. Once the ingredients have been sifted into the bowl, continue to crush the powder with the back of the spoon until it becomes fine. You have now successfully made sherbet powder! Give yourself a pat on the back. You can now just eat it on its own. Enjoy the fizzing feeling that is your teeth slowly rotting from the sugar in this. You can also add it to water or another beverage, producing a fizzy Kool-Aid-esque drink. Orange squash is usually good for this. YMMV. Powder-based flavourings can also be added to the sherbet, resulting in bizarrely-coloured hues of rainbow dust, including the ever present orange sherbet. "You will get me some orange sherbet" /me waves fingers For people out of the know, sherbet powder also makes an impromptu weapon, as the combination of fine particles and weak acid in a person's eyes is often fairly debilitating. Hopefully this will have been informative to you all. Just remember, do not abuse the power of the sherbet. That is all.

Sher"bet (?), n. [Ar. sherbet, shorbet, sharbat, properly, one drink or sip, a draught, beverage, from shariba to drink. Cf. Sorbet, Sirup, Shrub a drink.]

1.

A refreshing drink, common in the East, made of the juice of some fruit, diluted, sweetened, and flavored in various ways; as, orange sherbet; lemon sherbet; raspberry sherbet, etc.

2.

A flavored water ice.

3.

A preparation of bicarbonate of soda, tartaric acid, sugar, etc., variously flavored, for making an effervescing drink; -- called also sherbet powder.

 

© Webster 1913.

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