Cookbook:Lemonade

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Lemonade
Category:	Beverage recipes
Servings:	4 servings
Time:	~10 minutes
Difficulty:

Cookbook | Recipes | Cuisine of the United States | Beverages

Lemonade is a sweetened beverage made from lemons, sugar, and water. It is popular in the United States during the spring and summer, when it is generally served chilled, with ice.

In some countries, the word 'lemonade' is also used to describe any clear carbonated drink; in others, it means any fruit-flavored soda.

[edit] Ingredients

• 6 medium lemons, should yield 1 cup of juice
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 3/4 cup Sugar (can be adjusted by +/- 1/4 cup to taste)

[edit] Procedure

1. Juice the lemons on a citrus reamer. Rolling the lemons on the counter with moderate pressure prior to juicing will result in more juice from each lemon. Try to keep out the seeds. If you prefer lemonade with no pulp, strain the juice to remove it.
2. Dissolve the sugar in the water. Heat may be helpful if using a large amount of sugar.
3. Combine the juice and sugar water in a pitcher. Stir well.
4. Chill or serve over ice cubes.

[edit] Alternative Recipe

• 1 cup Lemon Juice
• 1 cup Sugar
• 6 Cups of Water (2 cups warm water, 4 cups cold water)

1. Pour 2 cups of warm water into a pitcher and stir in sugar until it dissolves (Sugar dissolves quicker in warm water).
2. Pour in lemon juice, stir again, and add the 4 cups of cold water.
3. Chill or serve over ice cubes.

[edit] Alternative recipe 2

• 4 lemons
• 4 tablespoons of sugar
• 1 liter of carbonated water
• a few leaves of mint or melissa officinalis

Press the lemons and dissolve the sugar. Add carbonated water and melissa or mint. Note that the lemon juice may be replaced by orange juice or other citrus (if desired).

[edit] Alternative recipe 3

• 7 cups of cold carbonated water
• 1 cup of sugar (or sugar alternative like Splenda)
• 1 package of lemonaid Koolaid (or other Koolaid flavor)

Pour the carbonated water into a two quart pitcher. Add in the sugar and kool aid. Store thoroughly. Served chilled.

[edit] Variations

• Hard lemonade adds an alcoholic spirit, such as tequila, gin, or vodka, to the lemonade.
• Various fruits, such as strawberries and raspberries can be added for color and flavor. A small amount of beet juice results in pink lemonade with little change in flavor.
• Herbs such as mint, borage, lavender, and lemon verbena can change the aroma of the drink.
• Including the peels, bruised and sliced, gives more bite and a stronger aroma.
• Other citrus fruits can be used, including lime, orange, and grapefruit. Sugar and water content should be adjusted to taste. In American parlance, these are not technically lemonades, but limeade, orangeade, etc.