Granita Magic: 55 Ices for Every Reason and Every Season--Always the Perfect Thing to Serve

I'm not a huge fan of alcoholic beverages and after sampling a non-alcoholic granita at a restaurant, I had to see if there was a recipe book that existed for granitas. Jackpot with Granita Magic! This book would be a great gift for yourself or another. There are many, many non-alcoholic recipes so it would be very appropriate for a pregnant gal. I give it 4.5 stars and would purchase as a gift for a bride, friend or family member.Pros:1) Appeals to many tastes -- The author has a variety of sections that would appeal to many tastes. You will find a) fruit granita recipes; b) vegetable granita recipes; c) nut, coffee and chocolate recipes; d) herb, spice and flower recipes; and e) wine and spirit recipes. Some of my favorites were: the basil and orange, very raspberry and ginger.2) Expanded commentary -- The author provides tips for serving a granita. Some are perfect as appetizers and other granitas complement certain food types. The author also provides suggestions on how to replace certain ingredients and where to find hard-to-find ingredients.3) You won't break the bank -- Most of the recipes have five or less ingredients and most ingredients are easy to find in your local grocery store.4) This book is colorful -- This is a happy book. There are no colored photos (see con section below) but the designs that are used are nice and pleasant to look at.5) Educational -- Granita was not in my vocabulary before trying one at a restaurant and now I can tell you how a granita differs from a sorbet, how one is created, and what types of granitas are perfect for dessert or a breakfast.6) The recipes are delicious -- There are 55 recipes in this book and the 15 I have tried have been fantastic. You will find a favorite to share with others.Cons:1) Manufacturing issues -- My book reached me with many pages not being fully separated. I had to individually separate the pages and try to not to tear them in the process. Nobody wants to have a new book right of the bat that is torn and tattered. I hope I got a flop of a book but if you are giving this as a gift (which I recommend), you might want to have the book sent directly to you so you can examine it being gifting.2)Lack of glossy photos -- From the cover you can see that granitas come in many colors and flavors. The color is beautiful and inspiring. While the book has pretty drawings and designs throughout, the cover is where the color photos start and end. I am a person that first eats with my eyes and I very frequently make recipes based upon how they appear in an accompanying photo. I wish more color photos had been included.As a final note, this book is printed in Singapore.

I am hesitant to buy cookbooks without flipping through them first, but since this book was less than $3 as an Amazon bargain book, I took a risk. I am glad I did! Granita Magic: 55 Ices for Every Reason and Every Season--Always the Perfect Thing to Serve  explains how to make a refreshing treat with no special ingredient (beyond a pan, a fork and a freezer). Serving suggestions include as dessert, as an appetizer, a palate cleanser between courses, for brunch, or as a refreshing treat on a hot day.The author provides hints with every recipe on serving suggestions (such as serving as an apertif) and garnishes (coarsely chopped nuts with the Pistachio & Rose granita, for example) as well as tips on preparation (including how to roast peppers and skin tomatoes).The first chapter is on Fruit Granita and includes recipes for:-Orange Granita-Pear Granita-Red Currant Granita-Apple Granita-Festive Cranberry Granita-Classic Lemon Granita-Green Grape Granita-Strawberry Granita-Blueberry Granita-Litchi & Lime Granita-Very Raspberry Granita-Fragrant Melon Granita-Apricot Granita-Tropical Pineapple Granita-Gooseberry Granita-Pomegranate Granita-Passion Fruit Granita-Plum Granita-Blackberry Granita-Watermelon Granita-Sweet & Sour Cherry Granita-Kiwi Granita-Ruby Grapefruit & Campari GranitaThe second chapter is on Vegetable Granitas and includes recipes for:-Tomato & Basil Granita-Carrot & Orange Granita-Balsamic Red Pepper Granita-Horseradish Granita-Chile Granita-Cucumber & Mint Granita-Sparkling Beet GranitaThe next chapter is on Nuts, Coffee & Chocolate Granitas and includes recipes for:-Chocolate Granita-Chocolate & Rosemary Granita-Pistachio & Rose Granita-Coffee Granita-Almond Granita-Coconut & Lime GranitaThe fourth chapter is on Herbs, Spices & Flowers and includes recipes for:-Saffron & Honey Granita-Mint Granita-Rose Petal Granita-Basil & Orange Granita-Lemongrass Granita-Star Anise & Grapefruit Granita-Tamarind Granita-Ginger Granita-Indian Chai Granita-Herb Garden Granita-Tea Leaves GranitaThe fifth chapter is on Wines & Spirits and includes recipes for:-Peach Bellini Granita-Tequila & Lime Granita-Burgundy Wine Granita-Spiced Wine Granita-Sauternes Granita-Champagne GranitaThe author provides cute, colorful illustrations on every page. There is only one actual photo (in addition to the one on the front cover of the dust jacket). I generally prefer as many photos as possible, particularly for baked goods with more complicated decorating steps, but I didn't mind the lack of photos in this book since the shaved ice will vary mainly in color from recipe to recipe.In addition to the chapter on liquor, there are a handful of recipes which have alcohol listed as an optional ingredient. The author explains how alcohol changes the freezing properties which affect the consistency of the granita.Again, at a current cost of $2.24, this book is a great bargain. I may pick up extra copies to give as hostess gifts.

If you entertain, if you don't, if you like a lil' something at the end of the meal and you know it should be LIGHT...here's your gift to you. This is a great book - even if you just enjoy the artwork...but really, ENJOY the treats! A big favorite with our friends is the lime & tequila recipe...which we serve with shots of tequila to add your own. Vodka lovers prefer their substitutions...but you don't have to embibe to enjoy the generous recipes. Do yourself a favor...a flavor...try some Granita Magic!

This book is 120 pages, but has only 55 recipes in it. A nice little book, artfully designed, with attractive pictures. The granita ingredients lists are complete, as are the instructions. The freezing method is also well explained. It seems to be aimed at the beginner, so a few definitions would have helped. I'm a novice at this (& perhaps a stupid one), but I didn't know what "zest" meant. I gathered that it had something to do with peeling the rind off fruits, so I used a potato peeler. As you cooks out there will guess, this produced less than magnificent results. I then consulted with an "expert" (my wife) who told me what it meant & went out & bought me a "zester," which is a necessary piece of equipment for making fruit granitas. Don't try it without one! On p. 11 of the book, the author lists the implements needed & states that "no special equipment is needed," but she neglects to mention a zester in this section.