Slice Of Life

By Eileen Goltz

I host a party every July 4. A dedicated group of friends who all love fireworks as much as I do gather at our house for a barbecue and, as soon as the stars come out, participate in what can only be called “pyrotechnic central.” (Fireworks are legal in Indiana so every year we have at least 45 minutes of controlled kaleidoscope chaos in the skies behind our house.) Everyone contributes to the meal but I’m in charge of the beverages. I keep it nonalcoholic–considering we’re working with things that blow up–so I have the usual assortment of water and soda (or pop if you’re from the Midwest), but the most oft-requested beverage is my homemade lemonade.

When it comes to a refreshing summer beverage, don’t look any further than fresh lemonade. I am not talking about the readymade buy-it-in-the-store stuff or canned variety in the freezer section. Fresh Lemonade. With fresh-squeezed lemons. Nothing compares with the sweet, tangy taste of a frosty glass. I will now emphasize that using bottled lemon juice for this treat is, in my opinion, akin to food heresy.

To make homemade lemonade, you will need: 1 cup sugar; 1 cup water; 5 lemons, squeezed, juice collected with or without pulp; and 5 additional cups water.

You need to start with what’s called simple syrup. It’s simple because it’s a 1:1 ratio of sugar to water. In a saucepan, combine 1 cup of water with 1 cup of sugar (you can double or triple this amount if you need to make a lot of lemonade). Simmer over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Cool and that’s it. You’re ready to go!

Place the simple syrup in a pitcher, add the squeezed lemon juice and the additional water, mix to combine, and serve over ice. Makes 6 servings.

Now that you have the basics down, you can get creative. You can add some lemon or lime zest to the mix. Pureed frozen fruit or herbs can also give your lemonade an exotic and unusual kick. The following recipes have all been tested and passed with flying red, white, and blue colors.

Note: all the recipes are pareve.

Sizzlingly Special
Berry Lemonade

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

1 lb. container of fresh strawberries, cleaned and sliced

1-1 ½ cups simple syrup

4-6 lemons (1 cup fresh lemon juice)

1 cup fresh blueberries or blackberries, washed and mashed

1 quart sparkling water

Directions

In a blender, combine the strawberries and half a cup of the simple syrup. Blend until smooth. In a large pitcher, combine the lemon juice, strawberry puree, half a cup of simple syrup, mashed blueberries, and sparkling water. Mix to combine. You may need to add more of the simple syrup it the lemonade isn’t sweet enough. Serve over ice.

My files; source unknown.

Peachy Lemonade

Ingredients

4 fresh peaches, pitted and sliced in half

1 Tbsp. granulated sugar

4 cups fresh lemonade

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a 9×13 glass baking dish, place the peaches skin-side down and sprinkle the sugar over the top. Roast for about 25 minutes or until the tops of the peaches are juicy and soft. Cool in the pan, and remove the skins. Try to do this over the pan so you can save as much of the juice as possible.

Place the peaches and juice in a blender. Add 1 cup of lemonade and process until smooth. Pour the peach mixture into a pitcher and add the remaining lemonade. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours so that the flavors have time to meld. Stir before serving over ice.

You can also add a tablespoon of peach liqueur or schnapps to every glass before adding the ice and lemonade.

My files; source unknown

Melonberry Lemonade

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

8 cups cubed and seeded watermelon (frozen for at least 1 hour)

1 cup strawberries, halved

½ cup fresh lemon juice

1 cup white sugar

2 cups water or lemon-lime soda

Directions

In a food processor or blender, combine 4 cups of watermelon, ½ cup strawberries, ¼ cup lemon juice, ½ cup sugar, and 1 cup water or soda. Process to combine (it will thicken), pour the mixture into a pitcher, and repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Mango Lemonade

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup fresh mango puree (about 2 fresh mangos)

â…“ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 cups water, divided

½ cup simple syrup

Directions

In a blender, combine the mango puree, lemon juice, and 2 cups water. Process until smooth and pour the mixture into a pitcher. Add the simple syrup and mix to combine. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours for the flavors to combine. Serve over ice.

Submitted by Andrea Barger-Goldman, Chicago (modified)

Sparkling Raspberry
And Lemon

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

1 12-oz. package frozen unsweetened raspberries (or 1½ cups fresh, mashed)

1 cup sugar

½ cup water

1½ Tbsp. lemon zest

1 cup lemon juice

1 33.8-oz. bottle chilled sparking white wine (you can use sparkling water)

fresh raspberries

lemon slices

Directions

In a microwavable bowl, combine the frozen raspberries, sugar, and ½ cup of water. Microwave on high for 2 minutes or until the sugar is dissolved. Mix to combine and then microwave for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from the microwave and cool.

You can strain the berry mixture once it’s cool but it’s not necessary. Place the berries in a bowl and add the lemon zest. Place the mixture in the freezer for 1 hour or until it’s slushy but not frozen. In a pitcher, combine the raspberry mixture, lemon juice, and sparkling wine or water. Gently mix to combine and serve over ice. Garnish with fresh raspberries and lemon slices.

Modified from about.com

Strawberry-Lemonade Punch

Serves 10 to 12

Ingredients

Strawberry Simple Syrup

2 lbs. strawberries, washed, hulled, and sliced

2 cups sugar

4 cups water

Drink

5 cups fresh lemonade

1-2 cups sweet sparkling white or red wine (or to taste)

1-2 cups lemon-lime soda (or to taste)

Sliced strawberries

Sliced lemons

Ice ring

Directions

Place strawberries and 4 cups water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and continue to simmer for 15 minutes. Using a fine strainer, strain the liquid into a large bowl. Do not mash the cooked strawberries, just discard them. Return the liquid to the saucepan. Add 2 cups of sugar and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 3 minutes until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and cool. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To make the lemonade punch, combine the lemonade with the strawberry syrup in a punch bowl. Add the wine and lemon-lime soda and mix to combine. You can add an ice ring, sliced strawberries, and lemons to make it more festive.

My files; source unknown

© Eileen Goltz

Eileen Goltz is a freelance kosher foods writer. She graduated from Indiana University and the Cordon Bleu Cooking School in Paris. She lectures on various food-related topics across the U.S. and Canada and writes columns for the CJN in Chicago, kosherscoop.com, and the OU Shabbat Shalom website, www.ou.org. She also wrote the Perfectly Pareve Cookbook (Feldheim).

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