I haven’t thought much about granita in a couple of years, really since the last time we were in Sicily. But now that we are here again, I am reminded of just what a unique, refreshingly perfect treat it is. Although water ice in the United States stems from granita in its basic form, it is quite different. I grew up eating Rita’s Water Ice. It was a pretty special treat we had in Philadelphia. I find granita to be much creamier and chunkier than the water ice I remember. And the flavor choices are so different.
One thing I have learned to love (and to roll my eyes) about Italians is their firm belief that they know the best way to eat. The Italians have a unique protocol in place for eating. From requesting dishes out of the correct order at a restaurant God forbid, or if you don’t order all three courses, or if you ask for a salad as an appetizer, or the absolute worst faux pas is to request coffee before having dessert – these are all worthy of Italian disdain. The culture in Italy encourages everyone to provide strong opinions on the best of everything. Italians really take pride in their products. For this reason, we will always remember when Kai was severely reprimanded, and ultimately denied when he asked for a granita with chocolate and lemon flavors. The older gentleman serving us simply stated that those flavors did not go well together and he would not serve it to him. Kai confusedly and grumpily chose a different combination. The server simply could not bring himself to give Kai something that he didn’t think would result in a delicious taste experience!
Since that time, it has become somewhat of an inside joke. Kai has continued to order this combination at almost every granita place he has gone, adamantly believes the flavors taste great together, and nobody has since denied him this request. However, I will admit that even to this day, the place that denied him his choice had the best granita we encountered…
We just never felt like we had enough granita!. We ate it every day on a recent trip to the Aeolian Islands of Salina in Sicily. Seriously, every day! Sicilians often eat it with a thick bready brioche for breakfast, it’s the perfect refreshing afternoon snack or an easy dessert after dinner. There is never a bad time for having granita. The flavor options are more extensive than the limited choices of water ice of my youth in Philadelphia. While lemon and strawberry are common, they almost always have nut favors available as well – pistachio, almond, coffee, and chocolate flavors. The most famous flavor unique to Sicily is gelsi – a wild huckleberry. The perfect granita is thick and creamy with a chunky texture. It is eaten in a cup with a spoon and we learned to eat it slowly and take small bites because it is served so cold.
To be honest, I don’t know why it’s not replicated around the world, or even just in other parts of Italy. We have granita in Turin, but I will be the first to say it’s not the same. My best guess is that it’s hard to replicate for three reasons: it is part technique, part fresh ingredients (the fruit, almonds and more come right from Sicily), and part demand. Granita is something the people of that region like to eat. We have learned that Italians tend not to stray outside of eating foods that their region is known for. But, if I could figure out how to bring granita back to the United States with me when we return, I definitely would!
The Avventura 