Spring has turned into summer incredibly fast,  and I am way ahead of the season by preparing this icy granita made from Harney and Sons Berry Young Tea.  As I head up to the Hudson Valley every other weekend, I notice the vast change in quietness and the peace of the countryside and how much more motivated I am to get creative. I use all and anything lying around, like the plaster and sample paints that my brother had leftover from renovating his room. While in NYC- at this moment in my life- there is only so much room an apartment can offer. I have started to bring my props down in batches, but always love knowing that I have enough items back at home to work with when I'm there.  And when I am really motivated I create surfaces like the one above. A subtle blue textured wave with the bright pinkish- red contrast is just right. The surface adds a little something different but it also doesn't take away the essence of what the photo is really about. 

It's quite simple to make so instead of turning brewed hot tea into a cold drink, just blend it with some sugar and berries and pop it in the freezer for a quick treat. Granitas are delicious when your sweet tooth is weak and you are quenching for something fruity. Granitas melt fairly quickly, but they taste just as delicious if you consume the rest through a straw- I know it seems odd but trust me on this. I think this treat also leaves you feeling less guilty because it doesn't contain the fat from dairy as you would get in Ice cream. Maybe I'm contradicting myself here, but  I would recommend having ice cream after lunch (work it off) and save granitas for your end of meal, sweet snack. 

TEA NOTES

RECIPE

The vibrant fuchsia tea is certainly flavored by a mix of unexpected ingredients. Rose petals, goji berries, kiwi, bits of apple, and pieces of orange peel take action in flavor and what's so beautiful about this tea are the dainty ingredients that make it quietly complex. The loose leaves tell a story about the tea before drinking it and what you will taste is up to your senses. Perhaps it's easier to taste these various  ingredients when observing the tea leaves as you sip, picking through each dried piece (this is for very observant tea drinkers). Try drinking this tea hot and then drinking it cold and see how the entire profile changes. The strawberry is subtle when warm and immediately you think of Mama's berry cobbler. But, when chilled the berries are crispy and ripe just as you would eat them at the strawberry patch. 

1 Cup water

2 T Berry Young loose tea leaves

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup blueberries

1/2 cup strawberries

METHOD

1. Steep the tea in hot water until a bright fuchsia color develops. Let cool.

2. Add all ingredients to a blender, including the tea leaves and blend until smooth.

3. Strain the liquid and pour into a metal pan. Place in the freezer for about 45 minutes to an hour. 

4. Scrape with a fork and put the mixture back in the freezer for another hour. It should be completely frozen and slushy after two hours. 

***The bigger and shallower the pan is, the bigger the granita chunks will be. For smooth scraping, pour into a smaller, deeper container. You will get nice scraped-up fluffs of granita this way.