Lemonade with a Twist

Of course there's a lemonade recipe. This is the recipe we have been doing for years. If you have a sweet and sour tooth then this is exactly what you will enjoy having especially in the summer. We make it two to three times a week during the summer. Yes, a week not a month. I am not a fan of artificial colors and flavors at all. This recipe is quick, easy, and a lot of lemon squeezy (literally)!

🍋TOOLS:

  • 1 Zester (to zest the lemons)
  • 1 large bowl (to mix all the ingredients)
  • 1 strainer (to strain the mixture)
  • 1 whisk

🍋INGREDIENTS:

  • Lemons: 5 medium sized pieces

  • Sugar: 2 1/2 cups

  • Cold water: 9 cups

  • Cherries: quantity depends on need

🍋METHOD:

Start by zesting the 5 lemons in the large bowl. Make sure to zest lightly without getting to the white part of the lemon because that will make our lemonade bitter. Add the sugar to the zest. Squeeze your already zested lemons on top of the sugar mix. Don't worry if the seeds and rind fall into the mix, it will be all be strained later. Just make sure you squeeze your lemons well to get as much juice as possible. Add your cold water now and keep whisking until the sugar dissolves. Once it dissolves, you can strain it into the desired jar of your choice and refrigerate until you are ready to serve it. Easy, right?

Here's a few tips and variations:

  • Though drinking it right away is pretty awesome, you can also let it sit in the cooler for 24 hours before straining it. It will give you a more yellow color and richer flavor. 
  • If you want to make your lemonade pink (naturally pink of course), just squeeze some dark cherries in your mixture before straining it. The more cherries you add, the darker it will be so your lemonade can go from pink to red. The cherries won't overpower the lemon taste. As an option, leave your lemonade jar yellow and only squeeze two cherries in a small cup of lemonade right before serving it. That way, you get the best of both worlds.
  • Another great flavor to balance out the sourness is adding an orange. If you want something different, try squeezing 1 small orange with your mixture before your strain it. Do not use orange zest with the lemon zest; the juice alone will suffice and accompany the lemonade flavor quite well. 

 

Farah Hamade