LANCASTER AMISH LEMONADE
Lemonade is lemonade, right? Well, not quite…there’s the chalky taste of commercial lemonade powders or there is the taste of your own freeze-squeezed lemonade. Some Amish cooks take it a step further. This is a recipe published years ago in the Philly paper after they sent reporters scouring Amish country for some great summer recipes.
I actually tasted this style of lemonade years and years ago at an Amish home and it was on a hot, hot summer day and this lemon was icy, icy cold and….wow…my throat still longs for that lemonade on hot days. Maybe I’ll be making a pitcher this weekend. Yum!
Lancaster Amish-Style Lemonade
Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 10 lemons scrubbed
- 1¼ cups sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 5 cups ice cold water
Instructions
- Cut lemons in half lengthwise and slice thinly, as if for garnish.
- Mash them with the sugar and salt in a large, deep bowl or crock with an old-fashioned potato masher or heavy wooden spoon until the slices give up their juice, the sugar is dissolved and the juice is syrupy, about 5 minutes.
- Pour about half the lemon slices into a sieve over a bowl or pot, pressing the solids to release as much liquid as possible.
- Discard the solids and transfer the liquid to a serving pitcher.
- Repeat the process with the remaining lemons.
- Stir in the water until blended.
- Add ice cubes or chill, stirring just before serving over ice.
