If you’ve never had the pleasure of having a granita, you’re in for a treat. A refreshing, icy sweet drink that’s somewhere between a fruit snow cone and a slushy, this traditional Italian dessert takes less than 20 minutes to create the fruit mixture. The freezer does the rest of the work. Granitas are the perfect dessert to get creative with. And, fresh herbs adds truly distinct and bold flavors.

For Tucson’s best selection of local, organic fruit, Heirloom Farmers Market is number one on my list. Known for having the largest, permanent weekend market, there is such an abundance of fruit throughout the market. If you simply stop by just for the generous samples, you’ll find some of the ripest and juiciest fruit from many of the farmers and vendors.

Many thanks to Big D Farm and Struse Family Farm for providing 100% of the fresh fruit, herbs, and dates for our granita shooters.

[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10139″ info_text=”ADVERTISEMENT” info_text_position=”” font_color=”#757575″ font_size=”10″ padding=”12″]

In the case that creating your own delicious granitas doesn’t fit into your schedule, the Vegan Vixen seal of approval goes to Desert Ice Granitas & More at 5381 E River Rd. They have an assortment of granitas for those who want a quick taste before summer ends without the worry of making them.

Raspberry-Mint Granita

• 2 cups of raspberries*
• 5 mint leaves*
• 5 soaked, pitted dates*
• 1 tsp lime zest*
• 1 cup water

Bring all ingredients to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Blend all ingredients until liquified. Remove herb leaves and zest. Pour mixture into a glass dish and freeze. Scrape mixture with a fork every 30 minutes to loosen the ice crystals, until granita is completely frozen, about 1-2 hours. Scoop the granita into chilled cups or bowl and garnish with fruit and mint leaf.

Cantaloupe-Basil Granita

• 2 cups of cantaloupe*
• 5 basil leaves*
• 5 soaked, pitted dates*
• 1 cup water

Pear-Lemon & Rosemary Granita

• 2 cups of pears*
• 1 4-inch rosemary sprig*
• 5 soaked, pitted dates*
• 1 tbsp lemon juice*
• 1 tsp lemon zest*
• 1 cup water

*Indicates organically grown