I don’t think I even need to repeat the adage about what to
do if life gives you lemons, because in this case it was my boss who gave them
to me! He actually has a very productive tree right here in San Francisco, and
I am overjoyed when he brings me bags of lemons, especially today because I had
a bake sale / fundraiser for my daughter’s school (Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy in the Castro) and so I volunteered to bring lemonade. Good thing, too,
because it was a rare hot day in the city and we drank that up like there was
no tomorrow!
Here we are in San Francisco's lovely Dolores Park where we raised nearly $200 to send the 4th graders to camp, yay!
This lemonade is the best you will ever taste, hands down.
Don’t even bother with any other recipes. Just don’t. My mom taught me this
one, from her (and now my) favorite cookbook of all time, The Silver Palate Cookbook - the 1982 masterwork from Sheila Lukins and Julee Rosso, and I guarantee you
will have people exclaiming in the street that it is the best thing they have
ever tasted.
The only thing I ever adjust is the tartness. I love it very
very tart, but when I make it for kids I do add more sugar. And you want to use
super-fine (Baker’s Sugar) because it dissolves so easily. Get some lemons and
get happy!
I always add some cut up lemons for looks, especially when using an (otherwise un-chic) industrial vat.
