I found this recipe below - have never tried, so let us know how it works out! If it is good, I'll try in in my ice cream machine.

''Ingredients

3/4 cup thawed unsweetened apple juice concentrate
1 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 pints fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
Fresh mint, optional

Directions

In a blender, combine the apple juice concentrate, lemon juice and strawberries; cover and process until blended. Pour into an ungreased 8-in. square dish. Cover and freeze for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until partially set.
Spoon into a large bowl; beat on medium speed for 1-1/2 minutes. Return to dish; freeze for 2-3 hours or until firm.

Remove from the freezer 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with mint if desired. Yield: 5 servings.''

Here is a link that might be useful: Link

This is as authentic a recipe for the old-school Italian water ice as you'd want to find. For strawberry, just follow the recipe for the peach one and use the berries, although for raspberry or black cherry, it's better with just the strained juice from the fruits.

LEMON WATER ICE

1 quart water
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup lemon juice
Grated rind of 1 lemon (no white part)

Boil water and sugar together for 5 minutes. Cool. Stir in juice and peel. Pour into shallow bowl and put in freezer. As it starts to freeze, keep stirring the outside crystals into the center and mix in peel. Do this about every half hour. When really slushy, stop and freeze overnight. To serve, you must scrape very thin layers of the slush off the top. I use a big spoon with sharp edges moving it sideways.

My notes: This won't turn out right unless you do both the stirring thing and the scraping thing. It really is all about the technique, not the ingredients, which is why you won't get the same results in an ice cream freezer, even though we've tried it. Depending on how many you'll be serving and when, you can divide the ingredients in half for a smaller batch because the syrup starts to congeal after about 2 or 3 days.

For all of these, follow the same method as the Lemon Ice, boiling water and sugar together, add other ingredients, then freezing as directed:

LEMON-LIME WATER ICE (my personal favorite)

Make as above but use 1/2 lemon juice and 1/2 lime juice and equal amounts of lemon and lime peel

LIME ICE
Make as above using lime juice and peel instead of the lemon.

FRESH PEACH WATER ICE

1 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups peeled and sliced ripe peaches
1 1/2 to 2 tsp. lemon juice

Puree peaches in blender with lemon juice.

ORANGE WATER ICE

2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 cup fresh orange juice
1 grated orange rind (no white part)
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

GRAPE WATER ICE

2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup grape juice
1/4 cup orange juice
2 Tbs. lemon juice

Ruthanna:

Your thread hit home.

My wifes family made Italian Water Ice to sell; in the early fifties, in SouthWest Philly.
She did not have the convienence of freezers and Ice Cream
machines.

It was made in a sort of wine barrel with no top.

Inside was another smaller metal container, 12in.X 24 in. deep, with a lock on lid, with a handle.

This held the liquid to be made into Water Ice.

Crushed Ice was packed all around and under. Rock salt was sprinkled on the Ice.

After putting in the liquid, the metal drum ( container )
was turned, using the handle, on the Lid.

Every so often the lid was taken off and the slush buildup
was scraped from the sides.

It was turned again until all the liquid was slush.

Walla !!! Water Ice !!!

The customers came with Quart Pitchers.

They used all fresh fruit, at that time and my wife was the Electric Motor.

Nicest looking Motor around !!!

The recipes all, look good.
I guess an Ice Cream machine could be used.

Think I will try to make a Gallon size, motorized machine.

The old way makes a fine, smooth, Water Ice.

I am going to try your freezer method.

LOU

L :
Sorry , I sort of hijacked your Post.
Let us know how you make out.

Ruthanna:

I think Lemon was everyones favorite way back when.

At least they sold more Lemon.

Lou

I am unsure of what an Italian Ice is..

But in a cook book I discovered something the my boys love and are now doing on their own..

Kool aid Ices

1 cup hot water
1 cup of sugar
1 packet of Kool aid

Place in blender and whir until sugar is dissolved.
Add in 6 cups of ice and blend on ice button until you get the slushy consistency you are looking for.

Their favorite seems to be Pink Lemonade. :)

so far tried Johnlui's recipe.
Came out good!

thanks!