In honor of Mona, the lemonade-making source of support and strength for Ryker in my book Redeeming Ryker (which is FREE for a limited time -- http://mybook.to/RedeemingRyker), I thought it might be fun to learn a little about the origins of her signature drink.
While Mona may have been making her fresh-squeezed lemonade for decades, believe it or not, the origins of the sweet, tart, lemony beverage actually date back centuries! Folks in medieval Egypt drank various precursors to our modern lemonade, including kashkab, a drink made of fermented barley and mint, rue, black pepper, and citron leaf, and qatarmizat, a mixture of sweetened lemon juice. (I am probably not ordering a big cup of kashkab at a street fair.)
In the 17th century, lemonade, made from sparkling water, lemonade and honey, was introduced in Paris and became wildly popular, where it was sold by vendors from tanks strapped to their backs. (I think this delivery method should make a comeback!)
By the 18th century, lemonade had made its way to the United States, and in the 19th century, during the women’s temperance movement, it was pushed as an alternative to alcohol.
Lemonade continues to maintain its popularity, but where you are in the world might determine what you might be served as a result of your lemonade order. If you order lemonade in the United States or in India you will likely be served a flat beverage of lemon juice, sugar and water. In the UK and New Zealand, you will probably receive carbonated lemon soda. Regardless of what version you receive, however, you know it will be refreshing on a hot summer day!
So celebrate centuries of lemonade history and mix up a batch (Mona’s signature recipe is below), kick back with a good book, and enjoy!
Mona’s Lemonade
There’s nothing better than a wicker chair, a porch, and a cup of lemonade on a hot summer day. I would never use powder, so here’s my tried-and-true recipe. It’s practically a family heirloom, so keep it safe.
Ingredients
• 10 wax-free lemons, preferably organic because who needs all that wax in their bodies? If I want to preserve myself, I’ll use whiskey.
• 2 cups sugar. I like the cane, but light brown sugar will do just fine.
• 1 ½ cups cold water
Directions
Remove the zest but not the white squishy part from the lemons using a vegetable peeler or a zester. Juice the lemons. You need 1 1/2 cups juice. Place all the zest and juice in a saucepan, add the sugar and water, and heat slowly over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar has dissolved. The liquid should approach boiling but should not actually boil.
Remove from the heat. Strain the mixture and discard the lemon zest and any seeds. You should have about 4 cups of sweet lemony goodness. Let it cool because it’s lemonade, not hot tea. Although it’s good to add to tea too.
Pour the syrup into a clean bottle and let it cool. I love to use Mason jars. Syrup will last up to two weeks (or a day and a half during summer in Fury).
For each serving, stir 1 part syrup with 3 parts water. Add ice. Sit back and watch the pink flamingos on your lawn. In my neighborhood, they seem to reproduce. I think there’s something magic in the lemonade.