As summer starts to plateau into a steady heatwave, life starts to slow down. But, for those of us who are handy in the kitchen, turning those long sultry afternoons into productive and refreshing culinary adventures can be the perfect way to pass the time.

Italian lemon ice or lemon granita is a simple and refreshing frozen treat that will definitely cool you off on even the most sweltering of summer days. You can replace a portion of the lemon juice with any other type of fruit juice for a creative twist on a classic and if you have an ice cream maker you can use this recipe to turn out a delicious sorbet.

Stay cool!

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Lemon Granita

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar (When using other juices this may need adjustment. Always add sugar to taste.)
1 cup water
2 cups fresh squeezed lemon juice (or a combination of juices and lemon to taste)
1 tablespoon lemon zest

Directions:

Chill a large cake pan or casserole dish in the freezer until your mixture is ready to freeze.

In a saucepan heat together sugar and water until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove pan from heat and allow to cool for about five minutes then stir in lemon juice and zest. Cool mixture until it is cool to the touch or room temperature.

Pour mixture into your chilled baking dish and place in the freezer. Carefully stir granita every 30 minutes with a fork for 4-5 hours or until frozen.

Stir with fork before serving garnish with lemon slices (optional)

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Here are some upcoming events that feature cool, sweet treats that will help you beat the summer heat. Check ’em out:

Sunday, July 21 and every subsequent Sunday until Sunday, August 18 I Ice Cream Sundays – New York, New York   Beat the heat with a cool treat this summer with Sugartooth Tours. They’ll introduce you to the most delicious cold treats from uniquely flavored ice creams, home made ice cream sandwiches, artisanal gelato, frozen yogurt and more! A fun, delicious, and educational tour for the whole family. You’ll learn about NYC and it’s culinary history and fun facts about how these frozen treats were invented.

Saturday, July 27 I All Dessert Food Tour (July-September) – Columbus, Ohio   Join Columbus Food Adventures on this van-based tour featuring some of the best desserts in Columbus. This tour will start at the acclaimed Pistacia Vera in German Village, visit Sugardaddy’s popular downtown location to sample some of their sumptuous brownies and blondies, learn about artisan coffee at Cafe Brioso and then head north to the Pattycake bakery in Clintonville. Of course no dessert tour of Columbus would be complete without Jeni’s splendid ice cream, so guests will visit their new Clintonville location to try some of their newest seasonal flavors. Finally, guests will finish the tour with a fabulous dessert cocktail created by mixologist extraordinaire Cris Dehlavi at M Restaurant (there will be a non-alcoholic drink option available for those under 21 or who do not wish to consume alcohol).

Sunday, August 11 I Summer Sundaes presented by Santa Monica Chorus – Santa Monica, California   Santa Monica Chorus invites you to join us for fantastic barbershop harmonies and all the ice cream you can eat! It’s the perfect way to spend a Summer day.