Photo by Patrick Marinello
If you grew up in the Northeast, you probably spent your summers strolling down boardwalks, eating clams (baked or fried), and swallowing spoonful after spoonful of Italian ice (which, if you grew up in Philly, you ridiculously referred to as "water ice").If you grew up anywhere else, you probably ate Italian ice once a summer because it sounded exotic, then would get your yearly reminder that it's just an inferior alternative to ice cream. And that's because, well, everything is kind of inferior to ice cream. But it's also because most Italian ice is loaded with sugar and artificial flavoring, and is vaguely reminiscent of the fruit it claims to represent.The good stuff is hard to find this side of Palermo, and when you can find it, it's usually called granita—the ancestor of Italian ice. Somewhere between the best Italian ice and most delicious sherbet you've ever eaten, granita is simple, refreshing, and natural tasting. Daniel Eddy of Rebelle came up with this version containing lemon verbena, chamomile, thyme, and lemon juice, and topped with berries.
It's easy to make, light as hell, and better than anything you'll find at an Italian ice shop—no matter which coast live on.