Summer.

With summer comes the heat, but also the lake. The hot, but also the cold. Refreshing things like watermelon are a daily food item. As is ice cream. Or ..... watermelon granita? Like ice cream, it's refreshing and cold, sure to calm you on the hottest of days. The great thing about granita is that it's made with water, sugar (a small amount as watermelon is already sweet!), and lemon. Lime is also another flavor option, but we don't have limes here, so I opted for lemon and the flavor combo was great. The ingredient list is simple, almost as simple as the process of putting it all together.

So here is the easy, but wonderful recipe. Hope you enjoy it!

Watermelon Granita

adapted from various sources

How to keep summer cool, plus, what to do with that 10 pound watermelon you just bought.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Water
• ¾ cups Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Lemon Zest (about The Zest Of One Lemon)
• 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice (optional)
• 8 cups Watermelon, Cubed And Seeded

Instructions:

Heat the water, sugar and zest in a small saucepan on medium heat until sugar is dissolved and fluid.

Combine lemon juice, watermelon, and sugar mixture in a food processor and blend until smooth and completely incorporated.

Follow your ice cream makers directions to finish the granita. Or if you don’t have one (like me) simply put it in the freezer and stir every half an hour until completely frozen.

Serve generously on hot, sticky days.