It's Getting Hot in Here...

Summer has arrived.  And by summer I mean the season, not me.  This week has been the first oppressively hot week for the summer season.  I don't mind the heat, so long as I have plenty of handy ways to cool off.  This fantastic treat will do just that.

Cucumber Lemongrass Granita

So sometimes I cheat.  When the craving for granitas came a-knocking, I already had the agua fresca in my refrigerator.  I figured it would be simply marvelous as a granita, and I was correct.  If you're not into cucumber lemongrass, there are dozens of granita recipes all of the interwebs.  Get creative.  Try something wacky.  My next frozen adventure is going to involve watermelons and jalapenos.  It's summertime, live it up!

Now at this juncture, you may be asking yourself, what in the world is a granita?  Granita are essentially Italian snow-cones, but grown up and much more fancy.  At least the name is fancier.  The texture of granitas vary from different cities in Italy with some of the crystals being coarse and some being super fine, almost as smooth as a sorbet.

You can make a passable granita using a shallow glass baking dish and a fork, which is exactly what I did.

Instructions:

• Pour your granita base into a glass baking dish.  Place in the freezer until firm.  I don't wait until it's rock solid firm, just so it's pretty well set.
• Using the tips of a fork, scrap across the frozen mixture until it's broken into small ice crystals.  I usually put it back in the freezer and do another round of scraping, but it's totally not necessary.

• Scoop the mixture into a glass and enjoy!  And don't be a ding dong like myself and let most of it melt while you're standing in the sun taking pictures.

Also, I would like to point out the irony that I'm complaining about the heat, when I voluntary subject myself to 90 minutes of yoga in a 105 degree room approximately 5 times a week.  Yes, I am silly.