granita!

.

it's blazing hot today. and I've a fridge full of fruit.

   what to do?

         

granitas, of course!

let's start with some watermelon, raspberry, lime.

     topped with a sprig of anise hyssop? I think so.

oh, and I also decided to make this one . . .
   lemon, blackberry and pear. ooooh! I'll have two, thank you very much.

add a splash of rum, vodka, bourbon, or gin and call it a sno-cone for mommy.


basic granita recipe
(recipe adapted from bon appétit)


the basis for a good granita is really quite simple, and can be adapted into any number of variations. take some fruit, add some acid, sweeten with sugar, and freeze. for those more trepidatious of experimental concoctions, here's a real recipe with real measurements, just to get you started.  


WATERMELON RASPBERRY LIME GRANITA

4 cups cubed seedless watermelon 
1 pint fresh raspberries, washed
sugar to taste (start with a scant 1/4c)
juice from one lime
anise hyssop for garnish

in a food processor or blender, puree all ingredients until smooth. if you desire a smoother (read seedless) consistency, puree the raspberries separately and strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds. insufficient time and a lack of patience urged me to skip this step--yielding crunchy yet delicious results.

pour mixture into a standard jelly roll pan and freeze for 1 hour. stir with a fork, breaking up any icy clusters with the back of the fork. return to freezer for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally. just before serving, scrape granita to form icy flakes and scoop into serving dishes. top with a sprig of anise hyssop or mint. for a sophisticated take on the frozen cocktail, add a splash of your favorite liquor and a touch of seltzer.



LEMON BLACKBERRY PEAR GRANITA

1 pint fresh blackberries, washed
2 - 3 extra ripe pears (should be extremely soft to touch)
sugar to taste (start with 2T)
juice from 1/2 a lemon
lemon zest for garnish

see directions above for preparation.




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