.: Lemon yellow juice sitting beautifully in our newly thrifted glass juicer :.
Homemade lemonade is lovely any time of year. For our family we start making it in earnest in the spring. As the yellow buds on the Forsythia bush unfold and the yellow daffodils in the garden nod their hello, yellow lemons also join us at our table to form a beautiful centerpiece that adds zest to our day.
.: With a vegetable peeler zest four lemons, adding the zest into the mixture of boiled water :.
For the first part of this recipe you will bring three cups of water to a boil. While your water is heating up you will wash four lemons. With a vegetable peeler you may start to peel the zest, adding each strip directly into the boiling water.
You may also add 1/2 cup of Superfine sugar or other sweetener of your choice into the water.
As we cut the lemons in half a simple math lesson ensues. Two halves equal one whole lemon, eight halves equal four whole lemons. Out came a newly-thrifted glass juicer that was passed from one pair of hands to the next. Around the table it went, each child taking his and her turns adding their contribution into the final sweet outcome.
I appreciate the slow process of hand-juicing these lemons. I enjoy seeing our family experience the energy that is involved with our food.
Once the juice from all four lemons sits beautifully in your bowl, take a minute to admire the bright yellow color and appreciate the work you have done! Take a deep in-breath of the invigorating scent of lemon and set it to one side as you begin the next process.
When your water is at full boil turn off the burner and let the mixture of water lemon zest and sweetener cool. Make sure to set your hollowed out lemon "cups" to the side, to be used later to pour your lemonade into!
As the mixture recipe cools, we grab a basket and head out to the herb garden. There we harvest fresh Mint Lemon Balm, and Lemon Verbena which will also be added to the water/zest/sweetener solution. I roll these leaves together and thinly slice them all the way across to form slivers of aroma and a fresh bite of the garden into our drinks!
I appreciate this next step of gathering these herbs that will be added to our sunny drinks. Like the process of bread making there are many steps and stops along the way, making this a meditative part of the day.
When everything is cooled, strain your water/lemon zest/sweetener and herb mixture into a glass pitcher. Strain the lemon juice into the pitcher, add in some Violet ice cubes and enjoy this work of your hands!
On this day we enjoyed some of our hand-made lemonade right away in newly thrifted glasses. For a special treat we also enjoy pouring our lemonade directly into the hollowed out lemon 'cups' which brings the process full circle!
.: Handmade lemonade frozen in lemon shells for a picnic treat! :.
We poured the lemonade that we did not drink immediately into these lemon cups and topped them with fresh violets, set them into the freezer and later in the day we had lemon ice picnic style in the yard.
It's a favorite treat for the kids and for mama too after a day of working in the garden!
May the colors of this season inspire your days!
