GRANITA MAGIC: Rediscovering the Pleasure of Ices in More than 50 Grown-up Recipes

With this adorable if slight book, Roden attempts to make icy granitas the fifth food group. While it's unlikely that they'll earn their own block on the USDA food pyramid, these refreshing concoctions are surprisingly versatile. Flavors include fruits, such as Classic Lemon and exotic Litchi & Lime; there are also vegetable options like Balsamic Red Pepper and Horseradish. Further intriguing combinations include Pistachio & Rose, and Saffron & Honey; alcoholic offerings like a Tequila & Lime granita sound like slushy cocktails. Recipes are simple and somewhat repetitive—many require creating an infusion or syrup before proceeding to the freezing stage. A cunningly designed two-page spread suggests the many ways a granita can be served: chocolate granita as a midnight snack or cucumber & mint granita as an appetizer. Roden (a painter and textile designer, and daughter of Mideastern food expert Claudia Roden) also drew the delightful 1950s wallpaper–inspired illustrations. Her prose is equally winning: "a granita looks and feels like icy snow, it is beautifully colored like glittering sequins, and it can be eaten any time of day" starts off the brief introduction. (July)

Forecast:An entire book on granita may sound rarefied, but Roden's illustrations and prose are winning, and Artisan has wisely kept the price of this 128-page hardcover low. This should serve as an excellent hostess gift for weekend beach guests—and if this summer is a hot one, granitas will be particularly appealing.