Today is National Lemonade Day, so celebrate with a tall glass of your favorite variety of fresh-squeezed lemonade! I have a superr fun receipe below, just for the occasion. My friends at Paramount Citrus sent us these super cute aprons to wear today, so of course my staff put them on for an impromptu photo shoot!
My assistant, Jill, loving lemons and loving life
Be sure to go to Paramount Citrus’ “Squeeze the Day” Facebook page – Paramount Ctirus will donate $1 (up to $10,000!) to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for each person who “likes” the page over the next month.
Raspberry Lemonade
For a delicious variation, toss in a pinch of dried lavender or a couple of flowering sprigs of fresh lavender when you cook the syrup. This ’ade’s also fabulous with some gin or vodka added.
Makes 1 drink
2 ounces Raspberry-Lemon Syrup
4 ounces chilled soda water
For garnishing
Lemon wheel
Fresh blackberries
Fill a tall glass with ice. Measure in the syrup and soda water. Stir. Garnish with a lemon wheel and a few fresh Raspberries.
Raspberry-Lemon Syrup
Makes 1 1/2 cups, enough for about 6 servings
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh raspberries, or substitute frozen
1 tablespoon thinly sliced lemon zest (see Tip)
1 cup fresh-sqeezed Paramount Citrus lemon juice
Combine the ingredients in a small heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Strain through a very fine strainer, pressing out as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids and let the syrup cool to room temperature. If not using immediately, cover and refrigerate, for up to 7 days, until needed.
Tip: With a potato peeler, cut off only the yellow part of the lemon skin. Peel it off in long strips, then cut the strips into thin slivers (julienne).
Recipe adapted from from Sips & Apps, © 2009 by Kathy Casey
