Hola Mi Gente,
In peak summer mode I’m coming to you with a recipe that is SO simple, I kind of feel like I’m cheating here.
We live in this beautiful spot between two neighborhoods in Chicago: Pilsen, which is a predominantly Mexican neighborhood, and Little Italy, which is adjacent to the UIC campus and a good spot for red-sauce Italian-American restaurants. Nestled between a slew of residential buildings is Mario’s: a little Italian Ice stand that brings out crowds from all over the city.
Mario’s is about a mile walk from our apartment, which makes it the perfect weekend treat and stroll. However, in Pandemic days we try our best to not stand in crowded lines. We support our local businesses aggressively and often, but as an immunocompromised person we also have to live with an abundance of caution.
While we still go out to Marios at non-peak times, this is the recipe I make to keep my cravings at bay on an everyday basis–and in the winter months when they’re closed.
I love this recipe because its SUPER easy, incredibly refreshing, AND it pairs well with every liquor it’s ever met 😂. You basically just mix everything up in the blender and let the freezer do the hard work.
A note on taste testing to adjust to your liking: cold things have inherently less prominent flavors because they numb your tongue and tastebuds. If you taste this straight out of the blender, it should be really sweet to make sure you get a good full flavor once frozen. If you’re a naturally low-sugar kind of person, then go at your own pace and adjust contrast to sweetness with water and lemon juice.
Buen Provecho, Amores,
Watermelon Italian Ice
Ingredients
- 2.5 Heaping C Watermelon Cubes
- 3/4 C Sugar
- 1 C Water
- 1 Lemon Juiced
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a blender and pulse until completely liquified. If you used a watermelon with seeds, strain before placing in a freezer-safe container. Taste for sweetness, it should be slightly sweeter than you would drink it at room temperature, as frozen drinks taste less potent when cold. Once it tastes just how you want it, place it in the freezer for 3-5 hours. Three hours will give you a slushy like consistency, and five will be more like a typical shaved ice. If freezing for 5 hours or more, place on the counter top to warm for 10 minutes before serving.
Mary-Beth Johnson
Mary-Beth is a creative, food-obsessed, Georgia transplant living Chicago. She is proudly and fiercely Latina, and more specifically Chapina. In her day to day she is a food educator to students around Chicagoland aged 3 to 80+, both virtually and in-person. She is passionate about cultivating the truth that every person has an understanding of food that deserves being brought to the table, and that time in the kitchen can be sacred, passionate, and an act of love for self and others. Outside the kitchen you can find her at the intersections of infertility, chronic illness, and a deep love for the dignity of all humans. She hopes to create a space that is holistic about the role of food in the social, political, relational, and physiological dynamics of our world.
