Spade-a-Spade Fresh Lemonade
With the scorching hot temperatures of summer leaving us all drained and sweaty, it’s good to have something refreshing at hand to help us quench our thirst. Here’s my concoction for fresh lemonade to help, and let me talk about a bit more about how I make it.
I believe that a good lemonade rests on the balance among all the ingredients: fresh lemons, sugar, and water. After some experimenting, I found that using two lemons, half a cup of sugar and 1.2 liters of water hit the spot. If I add more lemons, it becomes too tangy to my taste and therefore, not as refreshing (I find lighter citrus flavors more refreshing). If I use honey instead of sugar as some recipes would, the liquid takes on a slight hint of amber color, which I do not find as appealing. Also for this reason, I make it a point to use white sugar to keep the color light as much as possible. As for the water, I find that 1.2 liters is just right to dilute the tanginess of the lemons and the sweetness of the sugar.
To enhance the lemon flavor without using more fresh lemon juice, I cut the pith with the rind on into sixths after squeezing out the juice, place them in the pitcher, and lightly pound them with the hand of a wooden spoon. They make it look pretty, too! But if you prefer to use more lemon juice, by all means, please do. 🙂
Fresh lemonade stays good in the fridge for two to three days. So now, go ahead and get those lemons from the market and start squeezing!
Spade-a-Spade Fresh Lemonade
Ingredients
- 2 lemons
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1.2 liters water
Instructions
- Cut the lemons in half and squeeze out the juice. If not using a juicer, use a sift to separate the seeds from the juice.
- Mix the freshly squeezed juice and sugar into a pitcher.
- Add the pith: Leaving the rind on, cut the piths into sixths, place at the bottom of a pitcher, and lightly pound with the hand of a wooden spoon.
- Add cold water, mix well, and serve.
As with many other food bloggers out there, I am no chef. I come with no culinary training whatsoever, and so it’s not at all surprising that my kitchen adventures are punctuated by frequent mishaps and blunders. Yet, there are recipes that I seem to make much better than others. And so, after years of prodding from family and friends, here I am, sharing the little that I know.
Why “gourmand,” you ask? Simply because I like making and eating good food. I can eat a lot, too—so there you go!