Food and Drink

Why Granita Is the Easiest Summer Recipe

The shove-it-in-your-freezer dessert is the ultimate summer quencher.

Gary Friedman/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images
Gary Friedman/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images
Gary Friedman/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images

Rome in the summer is so unrelenting even the Italians take off time in August to escape the heat. They retreat to Croatian beaches or anywhere there’s water, really, during the Italian holiday Ferragosto.

When in Rome, though, you can stop by seasonal awning-adorned kiosks boasting cups of refreshing lemoncocco, which is exactly as it sounds: freshly squeezed lemon melded with creamy coconut milk. The next best summer quencher, in my humble opinion, is the espresso granita.

I had my first-ever Italian espresso granita at Tazza d’Oro, a historic cafe located on the bustling piazza near the Pantheon. The line was long. It was hot. I needed a pick-me-up, stat. The cup may be small but the caffeine was mighty; the top was heaped with a glorious mound of fresh cream.

Even though you’re not in Rome, you can still do as the Romans do: devour icy treats. (I’ll note for the Italophiles ready to come at me: Yes, granita originates in Sicily, where they pile smooth, often almond granita into brioche and eat it for breakfast.) No one’s stopping you from making a raspberry granita or even going boozy with it and turning the Aperol Spritz into a cold snack. For me, espresso granita is the move. I need that buzz. And, hey, you can add vodka and coffee liqueur to make this an espresso martini granita for a buzzy-boozy ride.

Granita, simply put, is shaved ice, and all it requires to make it is a dish, a freezer, and a fork.

Espresso Granita

Ingredients:
• 4 cups warm espresso, or very strongly brewed coffee
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream

Directions:
1. I make my espresso via a stovetop espresso maker, like the MokaPot, but you can use whatever method is most available to you. You can make a strongly brewed dark roast coffee instead.
2. Mix the warm, not-too-hot espresso with sugar until sugar is dissolved.
3. To freeze, pour mixture into a dish at least two inches deep (something with a two-quart capacity is best, about 8-x-12 inches). Place in the freeze for an hour.
4. As you notice the edges beginning to harden, take a fork to break up the frozen pieces and stir the mixture. Rack frozen exterior bites in toward the centre. Return to freezer. Check mixture every 30 minutes, stirring each time. Break any big chunks into smaller pieces until fine crystals form throughout the dish.
5. Make your whipped cream topping. Put heavy cream into a bowl and with a hand-mixer, or a whisk, whisk until medium peaks form.
6. Once you’ve got your granita texture achieved, pile it into a cup and top with fresh whipped cream.

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Rosin Saez is the senior editor of Food & Drink at Thrillist.

Food and Drink

Red Rooster Is Serving Free Chicken and Piping Hot Cash This Christmas in July

Get your early dose of festive cheer.

Red Rooster Christmas in July
Instagram / @redrooster_au

The cold weather in most parts of Australia coinciding with EOFY celebrations is the closest thing that we’ll get to snowy Christmas vibes. And if you’re in dire need of some festive cheer after the first six months of 2023, grab your ugly sweater and head to your nearest Red Rooster for Xmas in July deals.

From June 29 – July 31, 2023, Red Rooster is serving up free food items, a chance to win $10,000 or one of 10 merch packs valued at $400 and other fun prizes. All you have to do is sign up as a Red Royalty member and spend $5 on at a location near you or online.

Each week there’ll be new delicious deals and prizes to win. The week one deals have already dropped and they’re looking pretty tasty. You can get access to them via your Red Royalty account. The more you purchase, the more chances you have to win.

Spoiler alert: you can get 10 chicken nuggets for free, right now. Brb running to Red Rooster.

Terms and conditions apply. Visit Red Rooster’s Christmas in July to see all the deals.

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