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Perfect Lemonade -- A Fruity Hit Any Way You Slice It
Real Families, Real FUN: What's Cookin'
Perfect Lemonade -- A Fruity Hit Any Way You Slice It
By Ansell Hawkins for REAL FAMILIES, REAL FUN
Nothing says summer like a tall, cool glass of lemonade. And everyone knows
how disappointing the store-bought drinks, powders, and concentrates can be.
Wouldn't it be great if you could make delicious, homemade lemonade, with a
strawberry twist, or as Anne P. suggests, "We actually made two
batches, one with fresh raspberries." Grab the whole family, head to the
farmer's market, and get ready to enjoy the tangy-sweet flavor of homemade
strawberry (or raspberry or peach or...) lemonade. Alison, mother of
two, found, "The kids had a blast going to the grocery store on a special mission to get the goods."
From the Waterman family came this notion that may help in getting everyone involved, "My boys are 9 and 11. One is interested in chemistry and the other in cooking. This project appealed to both."
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup of strawberries or raspberries or peaches
- 5 large lemons
- 1 quart of water
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar --or to taste. (In one family, Dad found it a bit tart, "but all the kids will be all over it for that reason.")
UTENSILS NEEDED:
- 1 small saucepan
- 1 small wooden spoon
- 1 manual juicer (stainless steel avoids the anxiety that comes with glass)
- 1 measuring cup
DIRECTIONS:
Let your kids wash the strawberries, as you slice the lemons in half. Have
the children mash or, as Mom Mary H. put it, "mush, mush" the washed
strawberries and wring the juice out of the lemons by pressing down and
twisting over a juicer. The Watermans put the whole thing in the blender for
richer texture. They even suggested adding crushed ice and blending that in
as well.
Bring a half-cup of water and sugar to just under a boil, and then simmer
until the sugar is dissolved, about 10 minutes. Alternatively, as one family
found, the sugar does dissolve without using the stove, albeit "we had
to stir it a while." "Well, I'll be!" was four-year-old, Jack's reaction when he discovered that the addition of sugar made his solution taste sweet.
Add the lemon juice and strawberries mash, allow the mixture to cool, then
strain it through a large sieve, although one family said they prefer the
pulp and left it unstrained. Add in the remaining water. Garnish with lemon
and whole strawberries. Get the whole family outside together and enjoy your refreshing berry lemonade over ice.
TAKE IT FROM ME:
Having a special audience also made for a fun twist. We were not just making
strawberry lemonade, we were making it FOR someone (Grammy, Grandma and
Grandpa). --Hannans, family of four in Cincinnati
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