Old Fashioned Lemonade

[shiney]

OK here's a simple one, but always good!

4 Lemons Organic or unwaxed.
6 oz brown sugar
1 and half pints of hot water

Cut the lemons in half and squeeze them into a bowl. Don't worry about the pips or bits. Add the sugar (I don't always use as much sugar cos I am a sour face and love it a bit tarter)

Pour half a pint of hot water into the bowl and stir until disolved. Then chuck in the lemon halves that you have put to the side and not bunged in the compost bin, just yet! Pour on another pint of hot water, stir. Cover and leave to cool for about an hour.

Strain off and chill in the fridge.

Bet the whole lot has been drunk by tea time!

[Andy Hamilton]

Perfect for this heat wave we are suposed to be getting.

[shiney]

Oh I hope we get some sun!

It's been so cold here today because of the easterly wind.

Still, it didn't stop me from lemonade making.

[Millymollymandy]

I wish I had some citrus trees! Now just when is this heatwave supposed to start...... I hate heatwaves because it means I have to spend all my time watering

[Muddypause]

I hate heatwaves because it means I have to spend all my time watering

If you don't mind me saying - that's not really a good enough reason to hate a heat wave. How about looking at it the other way around - 'I love the extra watering because it means we're having exceptionally good weather'?

It never ceases to disappoint me that here in the UK we seem to have a cultural imperative to moan about the weather - we spend all winter grizzling about the cold and the wet, and then in the summer we grizzle about a hot spell, too. I know you had a lot of problems a couple of years ago in France, but that wasn't really the weather's fault - compared to some parts of the world, it was quite moderate.

[shiney]

Well I guess that's just how the British are. We are never satisfied with our weather. It's not that bad really.

I mean, if you have a dry spell and have water to feed your plants, that can only be a good thing. It is a bit of a faff sometimes, but we are lucky in Europe to have water handy.

Now treat yourself to some homemade lemonade and relax for the moment!

[wulf]

I love the variety of the weather!

Back to lemons, here's my recipe (dusted off and used while entertaining guests this afternoon):

Grate the rind from two (washed) lemons into the serving container (and use a bit of water to get most of the rind off the grater!).

Dilute the juice of the two lemons (avoiding pips) with 2 litres of water. Add 12 generous tablespoons of sugar and whizz in in blender (I actually did this in two batches, since my blender is a bit small) and then add to the rind and water already in the serving container.

Sorted!

Normally, I replace a lot (although not all) the water content with icecubes, which gives a slushy finish, which is even better, but didn't have any in the icebox today!

Wulf

[shiney]

Ah nice Wulf,

I will try your reseeeep as well. Good to have lots of versions of anything.

Thanks!

[Millymollymandy]

Muddypause - you would not have wanted to be chez moi during the summer of 2003. I spent at least 4 hours a day watering my plants and my tomatoes were a dismal failure due to the heatwave starting so early in the growing season. This wasn't in Brittany by the way although I believe they had the heatwave there too.

It wasn't just the fact of having to water the plants (I used to have to do that every day, sometimes twice a day anyway), it was 3 months of non stop fatiguing extremely low humidity dry heat that snapped wooden photo frames and mirror frames and the kitchen work surface - and our energy and our nerves!

It's one of the reasons we moved to a cooler climate.

[shiney]

Was this the year lots of people died in France because of the extreme heat?

My mother was wilting in Miradoux in the Gers. It was a hot one!

[Chickenlady]

It was flipping hot! I was stuck in the middle of Spain. We couldn't bear it any longer so drove back to the UK through France, stopping with friends a couple of times along the way. I couldn't wait for the heat to go - can you imagine, stuck in a car for hours on end with 3 kids and no air conditioning?

Having said that, I am soooo looking forward to a little bit of sunshine and warmth after last year's very wet summer.

We do like to 'do' the weather, don't we? I don't mind being a stereotype!

I will happily make some of that lovely lemonade, too.

[Andy Hamilton]

Just made some letting it cool at the moment.

[shiney]

I made some too today, but it's all gone. Never lasts very long!

[Millymollymandy]

Did you have a nice sunny day in England then yesterday? Lucky you!

[shiney]

Hi MMM,

No it was wet then dry, then wet then dry!!! And today.....wet! PAH!

But any excuse to make lemonade.

I am praying for a sunny or even DRY weekend as I have a birthday party with a dozen five year olds coming.