Ice at First Light

July 26, 2012

When I first came to Sicily I though it was just plain weird: who ever heard of shoveling ice into your mouth at dawn????

But now I think it’s brilliant. These soporific temperatures demand it.

Apparently, Sicily’s Arab conquerors (10th-11th centuries) were the first to blend snowflakes from Mount Etna with sweet fruit juices.

Look at all the flavors you can get nowadays!

Be sure to pair your breakfast granita with a big fat Sicilian brioscia or two.

Mulberry granita in Sicily, copyright Jann Huizenga

Mulberry (gelsi) granita

Prickly pear granita, copyright Jann Huizenga

Prickly pear (fichi d’India) granita

Almond granita in Sicily, copyright Jann Huizenga

Toasted almond (mandorla) granita

Lemon granita in Sicily, copyright Jann Huizenga

Lemon (limone) granita, my fave

Chocolate granita in Sicily, copyright Jann Huizenga

Chocolate (cioccolata) granita with cream and nuts (soooo decadent)

Roberta Corradin, copyright Jann Huizenga

My friend Roberta always mixes things up. Here she ordered almond granita mixed with ice coffee. Did you know you can create your own drinks in Italy and the barista will oblige? (Dipping bread into granita is the normal m.o. of islanders at breakfast.)

Read here how it is made.

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