"A Italian granita, only for adults." That's how the New York Times titled it a few years ago to introduce the sgroppino, a kind of rather creamy and alcoholic lemon sorbet, traditionally served between courses - especially between fish and meat dishes - or at the end of the meal to cleanse the palate and aid digestion.

In Italy today, it is mainly found at long wedding lunches, in rustic trattorias, and in bourgeois restaurants, and it is one of those somewhat faded things that, we bet, will soon become vintage and rediscovered in a few seasons, while on the other side of the ocean it seems to be gaining more and more ground. Indeed, it's the New York Times again bringing up the topic, perhaps due to the upcoming nice weather, by launching its recipe for this preparation that seems to have made its appearance on the aristocratic tables of Venice in the sixteenth century.