Cool Beverages for Hot Days

Regular readers might think I’m overdoing it a bit with the constant posts about how friggin’ hot it’s going to be in Italy this summer, but I can’t help it – it’s what I’m reading and hearing. And really, you don’t even have to wait until August to feel the heat. It’s apparently already stifling just about everywhere. So, in addition to my previous ways to stay cool this summer, I’d like to introduce you to two cold beverages (courtesy of Shelley of At Home in Rome) you can enjoy between visits to the Colosseum and the Vatican.

• If you need not just something cool to drink but also a pick-me-up, you won’t want to miss a Granita di Caffè from Tazza d’Oro near the Pantheon. Shelley isn’t even able to describe the deliciousness beyond saying the coffee “somehow becomes this icy, frozen concoction that is just… you must try it.” It looks like dessert and coffee all rolled into one, doesn’t it? Decadent doesn’t even sound strong enough…
• For something perhaps a bit more refreshing instead of buzz-ifying, try a Grattachecca – Italian shaved ice covered in fruit and syrup. Shelley’s favorite grattachecca stand is Sora Mirella, but she’s thoughtfully listed all the stands in Rome in case that one isn’t close enough to where you think you’ll be needing a cool break from a hot day.

Really, these treats look good enough that they’d be tasty no matter what the weather was like, but I can only imagine that at the height of summer, in near (or over) 100F temperatures, both of them would be more than just treats – they’d be necessities.