Summertime Simplicity: Lime & Rosemary Granita

A friend was supposed to come over for dinner on a recent sweltering Sunday, but she canceled on me.  Hmmpf. This simple and refreshing granita is just one of the many scrumptious things that she missed!

Lime & Rosemary Granita

 1 cup sugar

2 cups water

1 large sprig of rosemary

Zest of 1 lime

Juice from 3-4 limes; more if you prefer things on the tart side, which I do (Also use more  if your limes, like mine, have been inexplicably dried-up and nearly juice-less. I had to use 5 limes for this.)

Combine all the ingredients except the lime juice in a sauce pot and slowly bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and add the lime juice. When cool, pour into a shallow rectangular casserole dish and freeze. Every 30-45 minutes, give the granita a stir in order to prevent the liquid from freezing into a uniform solid mass. You want a slushy consistency. Once there's no more liquid, it's ready to serve. 

The rosemary gives nice depth to a dish that could otherwise be somewhat one-note. And since my friend canceled, there's been more for me (and Poppa Trix, of course!)  to enjoy.  For extra oomph, splash a little (or ... a lot) of Hendrick's gin over the top before serving.  Hic!