You are not going to hear me gush about Valentine’s day and love and or any of that crap. And I’m not going to drone on about how contrived this day is, or do any couple-bashing.
But given the day, where’s the love for the singles? They are totally left out of the party. Where is the “Congratulations! You aren’t in a dead-end relationship” card? What about the “You don’t have to share them if you don’t want to” chocolates? Or perhaps, the “I get the bed all to myself” flowers?
I mean isn’t a woman’s deep emotional connection with chocolate enough of a reason to celebrate? Come on Hallmark, get it together.
So in honor of Singles Awareness Day, I give you something sweet, sexy and full of booze – the Blood Orange Sidecar Granita. With blood oranges in full swing at the market, I couldn’t resist taking advantage of their brilliant yet morbid color for something devious.
A take off the 20s cocktail, the Sidecar, this adults-only snow cone contains a hefty gulp of brandy, a swig of triple sec, a smidgen of sweetness and a whole lotta blood orange juice. No baking required. Minimal effort for maximum pleasure.
So to all the unhitched, I raise my granita to you!
Blood Orange Sidecar Granita Recipe
2 c blood orange juice (approx 3 lbs of blood oranges)
3 blood oranges, zested
1/3 c sugar
1/4 c Cognac (or brandy)
1/8 c Grand Marnier (or triple sec)
Heat 1 c of the juice with the zest and sugar. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved. Combine with remaining juice and strain to get out any rogue seeds and zest. Once cool, combine juice with brandy and triple sec and put in a 9′ x 13′ casserole dish. Place dish in freezer.
Every 30-45m for about 3 to 4 hours, check the granita. When ice crystals first begin to form, stir the slush with a fork. Once the granita starts to harden, scrape up the ice crystals. The key is to prevent the formation of a very large blood orange ice cube, because that won’t do us any good. Serve in your fanciest glass, or favorite coffee mug. Regardless of vessel, it will still be a divine experience.
