Homemade Lemonade Weather

Homemade lemonade.

It's been hot here in Raleigh this week, over 90F one day, so it was time to make some refreshing homemade lemonade this evening when Patrick was grilling dinner for us---a belated Mother's Day treat. 

One of the kitchen gadgets that is my favorite is the lemon juicer.  For many years I used a reamer and picked out the seeds from the juice, and then I discovered the right tool for the job---the lemon (or lime) juicer. 

Lemon squeezer or juicer.

Cut the lemon in half and put the CUT side down into the well of the juicer and then press the juice out, the seeds stay in the rind.

Cut side down.  I usually cut off the pointed end of the lemon to make it easier to squeeze.
 

The seeds stay in the rind and not in the lemon juice.

So easy, and tomorrow when I make guacamole I will squeeze lime juice over the avocado using this gadget too.

Here's my favorite lemonade recipe:

1 cup of sugar
1 cup of lemon juice
6 cups of water

1. In a small saucepan combine the sugar and 1 cup of water.  Bring to a boil and stir to dissolve sugar.  Allow to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until chilled.

2. Remove seeds from lemon juice, using lemon juicer (or reamer).  In pitcher, stir together the chilled syrup, lemon juice and remaining 5 cups of water.  Serve over ice.

Makes 8 cups of lemonade.

I also made Southern sweet tea, because we also like Arnold Palmer's (half lemonade/half sweet tea).

I can't remember where I got my lemon juicer, but one like it is available here,