Watermelon-berry-zinfandel-mint Granité

Makes 2 quarts (at least 16 servings). Total time, about 5 hours; active time, 1 hour, intermittently.

2 cups seedless watermelon

chunks

2 cups mixed blueberries,

raspberries and strawberries 2 cups hearty zinfandel

¼ cup sugar

3 tablespoons minced fresh

mint

2 teaspoons coarse-ground black pepper, or to taste (optional)

A Put a 9-by-13-inch baking dish in the freezer for at least 15 minutes. Either metal or glass/ceramic is fine, but the freezing process is faster with a metal pan.

A In a bowl, whisk the sugar into the zinfandel to dissolve. Put the mixture in a blender with the berries and process on high for 1 minute.

A Pour the puree through a finemesh strainer to remove pulp and seeds. You may need to stir and press with a rubber spatula to get most of the liquid.

A Remove the baking dish from the freezer. Pour the strained liquid into the baking dish. Add the minced mint and black pepper, if using the latter, and stir to evenly incorporate. Return pan to freezer.

A Let chill until it starts to thicken, about 2 hours. Thereafter, stir with a fork every 30 minutes or so as it freezes, fluffing the mixture and breaking up chunks with the fork tines. If it freezes solid, let thaw until you can break up the block and create the desired texture.

A Serve as an intermezzo in a small dish or shot glass, with a dessert array or by itself in the middle of a warm afternoon, just because. Warning: Granité melts quickly. Store for up to 1 week in a sealed container in the freezer. To eat after it’s been stored in the freezer, let soften slightly and scrape with a fork to restore the desired texture.