We tasted homemade limeade a while back while vacationing in San Francisco, and the moment has really stayed with me. We walked by two young boys who were selling fresh limeade and lemonade from their driveway. There is no way I could pass it up — two freshly scrubbed and eager young capitalists hawking freshly-squeezed cold drinks? Maybe it was the hot day or the fact that we’d been walking around the waterfront for a couple of hours, but the limeade totally hit the spot. And I’ve been wanting to make some ever since.
Yum yum yum. Tart, juicy limes. Sweet sugar. Cold water. And your pucker muscles. That’s all you need! So, the next time Market Basket or Hannaford’s or your grocery store of choice has the 10-for-a-dollar sale on limes, jump on it! Then wash your kids’ faces, park ’em at the top of the driveway with some cups and a pitcher of this stuff , charge a quarter, and see the neighbors come running. You can never start saving too soon for that MBA 🙂
Sweet and Tart Limeade
Makes ~ 1 quart
1 cup of lime juice (4-6 limes, depending on size)
3/4 cup sugar
3 cups water, divided
Grated zest of one lime (about 1 tablespoon)
Add 1 cup of the water and the sugar to a small saucepan. Add lime zest. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and stir. The sugar should be completely dissolved. Pour the mixture through a strainer into a juice pitcher. Add lime juice and the remaining 2 cups of water and mix thoroughly. Taste and adjust according to your tastes (more sugar if you like it sweeter, more lime juice if you like it more tart, or more water to dilute it a bit).
Serve immediately over ice with a lime slice, or store in refrigerator to chill.
ENJOY!
Leave a Reply