When life hands you 100+ degree weather, make lemonade (?)

As much as I try to eat locally, there are many obstacles in the way--olive oil, flour, avocados and so many other basics are difficult or impossible to source close to Indy, or prohibitively expensive if you can.  And lately, with the oppressive heat and humidity, I've been craving lemonade.  There are times when water just doesn't do it, I want the bright sweet-tart flavor, I want it ice-cold-- and I want the real stuff.  I'm not big on powdered mixes, although I admit that I've not tried many, and lemon trees don't make it through Midwestern winters...sadly.

If they did, I would have already planted a grove because lemons are both delicious to eat and drink and mighty handy for cleaning and laundry.  When we get the greenhouse built, I am determined to buy a dwarf tree and have my own small lemon crop.  Until then, at least they are in season right now...

Since I wasn't sure of the correct lemon-to-sugar ratio, I consulted Allrecipes, one of my favorites for online recipes, and I found this Vintage Lemonade recipe.  After reading that you infuse the sugar in the lemon peels for an hour first, to allow the sugar time to soak up the lemon oil in the rind---I was sold.  While I followed the recipe fairly closely the first time, I decided in today's batch to substitute honey for the sugar.

I use my vegetable peeler to peel only the yellow from the rinds, avoiding the more bitter white pith underneath.  If there is a kitchen chore that smells better than this peeling, I can't think of it.  (Although, come to think of it, baking bread and dealing with the basil crop are certainly in the running.)  Here is the fragrant honey and lemon peel combination, and yes, it smells that good:

The recipe is as follows:

(adapted from allrecipes.com)

Vintage Lemonade
serves 4

5 lemons, organic if possible
1 1/4 c. white sugar  (I used turbinado in my first batch, which made the final product more tan than yellow but completely yummy.  Today, I substituted 3/4 c. honey in place of the sugar.)
1 1/4 quarts water

If your lemons are very hard, roll or pound them the on the countertop to soften slightly and release the juice.  Wash them carefully and dry.  Peel the lemons, yellow part only, with a vegetable peeler into a medium-sized bowl.  Pour the sugar (or honey) over the peels and set aside for an hour.

In the meantime, cut the lemons in half and juice them, straining out seeds (and pulp if you prefer).  When the peels and sugar are ready, heat the water to a boil and pour over the peels.  Stir and let cool for 20 minutes.  Strain or lift the peels out with a slotted spoon.  Pour the sugar mixture into the lemon juice.  Taste for desired sweetness, adding more sugar if needed, and also for intensity--this has a super-lemony flavor, and I can add several more cups of water without diluting it noticeably.  Be sure to add any water slowly, checking the flavor often.  When it is just how you like it, serve over ice and refrigerate the leftovers.

If it's happy hour, add a splash (or three) of a decent vodka and settle down in the shade to watch the sun set over your homestead.  And yes, it's OK to let the chickens try a sip....


In other news, this just in:



When line-drying your clothes outside in the summer, beware the inner mesh lining of your partner's sport shorts.  The built-in undies just might act as a net and catch, say, leaves falling from the tree above.  Then, when your darling, much-loved man puts on his shorts...well...let's just say that they are a little itchy!  (And probably inspired a moment of panic where he wondered just what in the world was doing the tickling!) 




Am I just immature?  Pretty sure he doesn't think this is half as hilarious as I do....

Happy summer days to all.