Summer means watermelon and a cold drink of something amazing. This recipe from Chef Adam Hynam-Smith's Curbside: Modern Streetfood from a Vagabond Chef combines both. Get blending. Delicious! 

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I recommend using Dillon’s Small Batch Distiller’s Unfiltered Gin 22 for this recipe (available online), as the botanicals in the gin complement the fresh Thai basil and sweet watermelon in the granita without overpowering it with a strong juniper flavour common to some other gins.

1 small seedless watermelon, roughly cubed

1 cup (250 mL) Thai basil leaves

1 cup (250 mL) gin

superfine sugar, to taste

In a blender, purée watermelon and basil until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and combine with gin. Add sugar to desired sweetness. Mix well. Place mixture into a large, shallow, glass casserole dish, and place in the freezer. Allow mixture to freeze completely.

To serve, scrape the surface of the frozen mixture with a fork. Serve in a glass on its own, or use as a garnish for cocktails or other desserts. Store the remaining granita mixture in the freezer, covered tightly with plastic wrap.

Makes 6 cups (1 .5 L) 

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About Curbside: 

Curbside: Modern Street Food from a Vagabond Chef, illustrates the blurred lines, creativity, and potential that modern street food represents in North America. Chef Adam Hynam-Smith demonstrates what modern street food is from the perspective of an Australian restaurant-trained chef who has traveled the world and stumbled into opening one of the first gourmet food trucks in Canada.

Street food in North America has come a long way in a short time, and has proven to be an invaluable and celebrated community experience. With his creative take on modern street food, Hynam-Smith is regarded as a pioneer in the Canadian and North American street food industries. The recipes in Curbside are adapted for serving at home, but they come from restaurant menus of Hynam-Smith's past; many of them have been served at some point or another from his food truck, or as street food dishes in pop-up settings.

Throughout the book, there are featured recipes from guest chefs whom Hynam-Smith holds dear. These chefs are inspirational, and have been a source of support and camaraderie throughout Hynam-Smith's restaurant and food truck careers. Recipes include Hynam-Smith's signature globally inspired street food dishes like inventive gourmet tacos, traditional curries and soups, and artfully composed salads. An emphasis on fish and seafood dishes reflects Hynam-Smith's Australian culinary upbringing, and his modern take on classic street food dishes like ceviches, fish tacos, and curries.

Recipe and images from Curbside: Modern Streetfood from a Vagabond Chef, by Adam Hynam-Smith. Whitecap Books, 2015. Appears with permission of the publisher.