A dreamy way to spend a summer afternoon

   We are having some unusually cool and overcast summer days here in Texas.  Perfect timing for a summer dream to come true.  I need to gather a few things.  Come along with me.

   Definitely going to need a few of these hanging out above me. (Click the second one down on the right,The Flamenco, it’s my favorite.)  They’re as good as candy .  Probably going to need a freestanding hammock.  One that  holds two people so Lovey can join me.  And of course my favorite lemonade which just happens to be very pretty to look at.  It helps when the weather cooperates and it’s that perfect temperature, where you don’t feel warm or cool, which makes me a little sleepy.  Oh, and if the place you are choosing to dream is too warm, play song #68 from my Playlist below.  So right in the middle of a good summer book I drift off…

A good recipe for Strawberry Lemonade

Adapted from The America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

1 lemon, sliced thin, ends discarded

2 cups fresh strawberries, washed and hulled

1 1/2 cups sugar

7 cups cold club soda

2 cups fresh lemon juice (about 12 lemons)

ice for serving

Mash the lemon slices, strawberries and sugar in a large non-reactive pot or deep bowl until the slices release their juice and the sugar begins to dissolve.

Warm lemons quickly in microwave (10-30 seconds, depending on your microwave) till they are just warm.  Roll on counter to soften.  The warming and rolling seems to help them yield more juice.  Juice the lemons.

(Above are the tools I use to make lemonade.  The juicer is on the left and is from Wal-Mart.  The masher in the middle is plastic coated so that it doesn’t scratch my non-stick pan.  The little thing on the left is a strawberry huller.  To use it, stick one side into the strawberry under the hull, pinch the hull and pull up.  Makes quick work of a lot of strawberries and the kids can use it too to help hull all those strawberries for the homemade jam you’re making this summer!)

Stir the club soda and lemon juice into the strawberry/sugar mixture until the sugar is completely dissolved.  Pour over ice to serve.

Tips:

• Mashing the lemon slices with the sugar is called “muddling.”  Muddling is sort of like meddling except that meddling is done with your teenage children and their facebook account.  But I digress…  “muddling, or lightly mashing the sliced lemon to release its essential oils gives this lemonade a balanced citrus flavor, without an overwhelming acidity.”
• You can also use regular water
• You can substitute fresh or frozen blueberries and raspberries for the strawberries
• I use about 8 lemons as I never seem to have 12 lemons

When life hands you a beautiful day, make lemonade!