It’s summer and you want something refreshing to cool yourself down and beat the heat. What’s better than a chilled glass of lemonade? However, making it might be a hassle, especially when it comes to juicing a ton of lemons if you’re in a hurry. So next time you need to quickly whip up a glass or a pitcher of lemonade, throw a whole lemon into the blender!
The Idea and Modifications
The idea came about over 10 years ago through a now-defunct gourmet magazine. More and more people have taken to using whole lemons to make lemonade. It also helps that blender technology has improved, further easing the process to make it as simple as putting the ingredients into the blender and mixing it thoroughly. However, if you do use entire lemons, cut the lemons into quarters or eighths and remove the seeds. This way, most of the lemon can be used, but the bitterness that comes with the rind and seeds can be eliminated.
Depending on the desired taste, ratios can be changed to make it sweeter or more tart. Add the juice of one extra lemon without the peel to raise the bite of the lemon, or add a bit more sugar if you’re a fan of sweet lemonades. For a different flavor profile, you can add salt or herbs like basil, rosemary, or even lavender.
How to Make It
Ingredients:
- One lemon
- ¼ cup + 2 tbsp of sugar
- 2 cups of water
- 4 to 5 cubes of ice
Instructions:
- Take the lemon and cut it into smaller pieces.
- Put the sugar, water, ice, and lemon into a blender.
- Blend until it gets to a frothy consistency, for about a minute.
- Using a fine-mesh sieve, strain it into a bowl.
- Pour into glasses and serve cold.