Sun, balconies and lemonade – nobody will knock an absolute classic off the throne that quickly. Her majesty, lemonade, has ruled the summer for centuries. It is the queen of soft drinks and is available in every supermarket or kiosk, every bar or pub. But let’s be honest: a homemade lemonade with the aroma of fresh organic lemons puts any industrial product in the shade! Here you can find out how you can easily prepare the classic yourself.
The basics: water, sugar, lemons
Let’s start making lemon syrup. The sweet mixture of water, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest forms the basis of your lemonade. It is remarkably advisable to pay attention to organic quality when shopping for lemons, as the peel is sometimes also used.
The finished lemon syrup can be kept well chilled and stored in a clean container for up to 6 months. Whenever you feel like lemonade, you can take the syrup out of the refrigerator and pour mineral water over it – your homemade lemonade is ready! When serving, it is best to add a few ice cubes and lemon wedges to the glass – after all, your eyes will drink with you.
Your lemonade – your rules
Are you one of those people who find it challenging to follow cooking instructions? And who prefer to give each recipe their signature? Great! Creativity is specifically encouraged when it comes to lemonade. Here are a few ideas on how you can turn the classic basic recipe into your own imaginative creation:
- Self-determined sweetness: Reduce the sugar content or switch to alternative sweeteners such as honey, agave syrup, coconut blossom sugar, stevia, Zucker & Co.
- Fresh herbs: Flavor and decorate your soda with spices such as lemon balm, lemon thyme, mint, rosemary or basil.
- Cheeky fruits: In addition to lemons, any fruit can give your soft drink a fruity note. Well suited: strawberries, raspberries, cherries, rhubarb, peaches or melons. The fruits can either be boiled down with syrup or pureed.
- Hot lemon: If you cut the lemons in half and place the cut side on the grill for 2 minutes before squeezing, your lemonade will have a unique aroma.
- Still or sparkling: Instead of mineral water, you can, of course, also add still water to the lemon syrup, as is customary in the USA to this day.
Have you acquired a taste? Then unpack the drink dispenser and invite a few friends over. It doesn’t matter whether it’s classic or creative. You can get through the summer better with homemade lemonade.
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