A decidedly grown-up slush.

Last week, watermelons were buy 1 get 1 free, a wonderful side effect of the height of the season. But as much as I love watermelons, I wanted to try something new since I was staring at a stockpile of pink, juicy sweetness. I went recipe searching and this one really appealed to me with its simple ingredients and incredibly easy technique. It makes me feel really lazy but in the dredges of August, easy techniques really appeal to me.

Anyway, this granita does not disappoint. If you haven't had granita before, it's like a refined slushie but still rustic and no straw is required. All you need is watermelon, sugar, and a little lime juice. Although Jared didn't care for the lime, I felt its sour note actually made the melon taste more like itself.

This recipe is so easy, I thought it might be fun to show you through pictures in the hope that if you find yourself with a pile of watermelon on your hands you won't hesitate to make a batch!

Watermelon Granita
Adapted from Bon Appetit, June 2011
6 servings

4 cups cubed seedless watermelon
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

1. Puree all of the ingredients in a blender until smooth.

2. Pour the mixture into a metal 9x9 pan and freeze for 60 minutes. The metal makes it freeze faster, but you could certainly use any container and just increase the time. Be careful, however: if you wait too long you'll end up with a giant ice cube which you will need to thaw and re-freeze.

3. Stir the mixture, breaking up any larger frozen pieces with the back of a fork.

4. Freeze until firm, about 2 hours, then flake with a fork. You can cover and store the granita in the freezer for a few days, but it will slowly become less and less flaky. Serve with a small wedge of fresh watermelon and escape the heat (if only for a moment)!

A trio of homemade sodas.

I'm not the biggest soda drinker. I don't have a diet coke with me at all times (coffee is another story) and I usually order water with lemon when I'm out. However, I love fresh fruit flavor and I enjoy fizzy refreshment on a hot day, which is why an article about DIY sodas in the May 2011 issue of Bon Appetit piqued my interest.

When you make soda yourself you get to choose everything: should it be light and sparkling? herbal but sweet? fruity and tart? The possibilities are endless and you certainly don't have to settle for the ubiquitous syrupy drinks full of empty calories. I've been working on my own concoctions for the last week and I wanted to share three winners with you. Hopefully you'll be inspired to try your hand at homemade soda and pass it along!

Strawberry, Lemon, and Basil
Adapted from Bon Appetit, May 2011

Note: I like to leave the fruit chunks in my soda because I think it's pretty, but in the original recipe they're strained out. Also, I found the basil to be a bit strong so I scaled it back but you can always adjust it to your tastes.

Makes 1 soda

2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon raw sugar
4 fresh basil leaves
3 large strawberries, hull removed and quartered.
1 pinch coarse salt
3/4 cup club soda

Place lemon juice, sugar, strawberries, basil and salt in a pint glass and muddle with the handle of a wooden spoon (or a muddler, if you have one) until the sugar dissolves. Add a few ice cubes and the club soda and stir until chilled.

Cherry Lime Soda
Makes 1

Juice of 1/2 a lime
1 tablespoon raw sugar
8 cherries, pitted and halved
1 pinch coarse salt
3/4 cup club soda

Place lime juice, sugar, cherries, and salt in a pint glass. With the handle of a wooden spoon, muddle until sugar dissolves. The mixture should look a little syrupy. Add club soda and ice. Stir to chill and strain if you like or serve with the fruit in the glass.

Makes 1

Juice of 1/2 a lime
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 cup watermelon chunks
Pinch coarse salt
3/4 cup club soda
Frozen watermelon cubes (optional)

Juice the watermelon either by pureeing it in a blender or mashing it with a spoon. Strain the juice through a sieve, pressing on the solid to extract as much liquid as possible. Place watermelon juice, lime juice, sugar, and salt in a pint glass. Mix until sugar dissolves.
Add club soda and frozen watermelon cubes or ice. Stir to chill and serve.

Note: to make the watermelon cubes, cut seedless watermelon into cubes and place on a tray. Put them in the freezer until solid, at least 2 hours.