This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
You don't have to get far into a Famous Five book to find a reference to homemade lemonade. There is something gloriously old-fashioned about the drink and it's enjoying a bit of a revival.
Fizzy drinks took off some decades ago and I remember the fizzy pop man coming round to my best friend's house. (I was very young, obviously.) There was a real attraction – the drinks came in all sorts of colours, including bright orange, or with dandelion in the title, and they all made a pish sound when you unscrewed the lid. Homemade felt a bit flat in comparison.
But there appears to be a change in tastes. People are eschewing processed cuisine and wanting fresher, more natural food. Food like the Famous Five would have on the table, which is why I come back to their books time and time again. Enid Blyton's descriptions always inspire me to recreate the food, or the drink, mentioned within the pages for my own family.
After just a few minutes scanning their entire adventures I've found reference to lemonade in Five Are Together Again, when Tinker, their friend, likes to pretend he's a car or a lorry and come back into the house to re-fuel with lemonade. And in Five Fall into Adventure we have Joanna the cook who provides the five with a bottle of this amazing drink.
So, I thought it was high time I made some for myself. See what all the fuss was about. After all, I couldn't call myself a true fan of The Famous Five until I'd done so.Equipment
Food processor, sieve, two large jugs, clean bottle
Ingredients
4 unwaxed lemons
100g caster sugar
800ml water (or fizzy water)
Method
- First, cut off the peel (you may wish to grate off the peel and use in a lemon cake first) and as much of the white pith as you can. The pith can be really bitter and will affect the taste of the lemonade.
- Pop the lemons into the food processor with the caster sugar and 100ml of the water and blitz until a mush.
- Pour into a jug with the rest of the water and mix.
- Place a sieve over another jug to remove all the bits and pour the mixture in, allowing to drain through.
- Taste the lemonade for sweetness. You might need a little more sugar. Or a little more water.
- Pour the lemonade into a bottle.
- Serve with plenty of ice and an extra splash of water if desired.
- And that, is that. Simple.