What about a summer drink? Do you make an instant connection to something?
I do, and the drink is lemonade.
When I was a kid, we didn't drink Coca Cola or other soft drinks very often. We had lemonade made from freshly squeezed lemons.
The citrus drink had just the right amount of tartness and just the right amount of sweetness. Mom would fix a big pitcher of lemonade and toss ice cubes into the pitcher too. She'd crush mint leaves on the rims of the glasses, add ice, and fill the tumblers with the lemonade. If she had a lemon left, she'd slice it and float it on top of the drink.
Oh, there was nothing better. Just the smell of the lemons would make our mouths water. The drink was more thirst quenching than water or ice tea. (Yes, we in the South always said "ice tea" not iced tea.)
Years ago, when powdered lemonade mixes hit the market, I tried them, but they paled in comparison to the real thing. I wanted lemonade like my mother made. She squeezed fresh lemons—and oranges too—on an old glass juicer like the one shown here. I don't know what happened to the one she had. I guess it got broken at some point in time.
OLD FASHIONED LEMONADE
I was so excited. I washed the glass juicer, got my ice tea pitcher out of the cabinet, lined up the lemons on the cutting board, and rolled each lemon around to "loosen" the juice.
The tangy scent of the oil in the lemon skin hit my nose and reminded me of being in Mom's kitchen.
I cut each lemon in half then took one of the halves and placed it over the glass juicer, pressed down and rotated the lemon around on the glass cone-shaped middle. Happily, I went to the next half, and the next, and the next...next...next...next until I thought my hand might fall off my arm.
How on earth did women do things like this back in the old days? By the time I'd squeezed out 12 lemon halves, I felt as if I'd been doing bicep curls with a fifty pound dumbbell. I did finish making that pitcher of lemonade, but I never used that beautiful glass juicer again. I bought an electric juicer which does 12 lemon halves in a few minutes. There's definitely something to be said for modern appliances.
It's really easy just make sure you use freshly squeezed lemon juice—never that bottled stuff which is really gross.)
3 cups water + 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice + 1/2 to 3/4 cup of white sugar. (Half a cup is what Mom used, but most people today think that's too tart so adjust as needed.) Fresh mint leaves if you have them.
Add the water and juice to a tall pitcher. Stir well. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Serve over ice with a crushed mint leaf on top. Drink and enjoy.
FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION
Have a glass of real lemonade while you read a summertime book. May I suggest ROMEO AND JUDY ANNE?
Can good girls ever win? High school principal Judy Anne Palmer doesn't think so. She was always a good girl who never did an impulsive, rebellious thing. Ever. And look where it got her! Stuck in a life she hates. One night in Dallas, she rebels against...everything! That may end up being the biggest scandal that ever hit her little Texas town.
Reviews: "I can't recommend this story enough. The characterization is deep and the end as satisfying as the reader could hope for." and "I just adored Roman/Romeo. Perfect hero material, hot, rich and a lovely guy."—Loves Reading
ROMEO AND JUDY ANNE is available only on Kindle, but it will be available wide by the end of August. Sign up for my free newsletter below and you'll know when this book can be found at all the other ebook sellers plus you'll receive exclusive content, book news, and other book bargains.
FIND JOAN
Website *** SlingWords Blog *** Facebook *** Instagram *** TikTok
My mom and sister made fresh lemonade, too, (minus the mint) but it was way more work than I was going to do! We were more of a tea family, anyway, but I love the memories you brought back.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Liz.
Delete