Cool yourself off with lemonade!

2023. 06. 19.

The history of lemonade in brief

You wouldn't even think that lemonade, classically composed of water, sugar and lemon juice, has a long history.There are several different stories about its origin.

The predecessor of lemonade in prehistory and antiquity

Many consider kashkab to be the ancestor of lemonade, which was made in medieval Egypt from fermented barley, mint, rue, black pepper, and lemon leaves. According to records from the 11th century, the medieval Egyptian Jewish community consumed a sugary lemon juice called qatarmizat. But there is also a theory that citrus fruits, which have existed since the late Miocene period (ie approximately 8 million years ago), were already used by ancient people to flavor their drinking water in squeezed, crushed form. 

Among the popular fruits of the ancient world were lemons and oranges - at least ancient Roman mosaics and frescoes reveal this. True, there is no written evidence of this, but references to lemon trees can already be found from the 10th century, and a treatise on lemons from the 12th century.

The spread of lemonade in the Middle Ages and modern times

In the 13th century, merchants from Cairo began selling sugared, lemon water in large quantities, bottled. Export trade was also started, so lemonade became known in more and more places. The Italians wanted to make their own version, but lemons were still an expensive and rare fruit at the time. That's why they started growing their own lemon trees, which can withstand the Italian climate and produce juicy fruits. By the middle of the 1600s, it was possible to make the lemon refreshment made from ingredients grown on Italian soil popular in the entire Appennini peninsula. The French visiting the peninsula noticed the popular drink, so it didn't take long for Paris to be flooded with merchants selling lemonade, and XIV. Lajos also became a favorite drink.

It is interesting that lemonade played a significant role in curbing the plague. The streets, canals, and garbage heaps were full of lemon peels, which were food for the rats. Thanks to its limonene content, lemon peel killed fleas on rats, so they were not transferred to humans. As a result, fewer people were infected with the plague.

The next turning point in the history of lemonade was the invention of soda water. The new, carbonated version of lemonade gave another boost to the spread of the refreshing soft drink. From there, it was only a matter of time before lemonade conquered the whole world. One of the first photographs depicts a lemonade seller in Greece. Thanks to the masses who emigrated to America, lemonade also reached the United States.

What makes lemonade so refreshing?

For many people, the acidic taste of citrus has a refreshing effect. Of course, the cold temperature contributes to this, which also causes the cooling effect. This is only further enhanced by the sweet taste, which is due to the sugars, sweeteners and syrups.

We can't forget that you can drink 3-5 deciliters of lemonade in seconds, which is not negligible in terms of hydration.

Homemade lemonade recipes

Its diversity also contributes to the success of lemonade. It has an infinite number of variations. For example, the custom of adding raspberries, blackberries and other berries started in England. In India, it is customary to add ginger to lemonade, and it is not uncommon for saffron, garlic and cumin to make the taste experience more exciting.

For gatherings, you can also prepare a larger portion for the guests, for example in a 4-liter beverage dispenser glass, with lots of ice cubes. But no matter how much lemonade you make, the main thing is to take care of the cooling!

There's nothing left to do, we'll give you some tips on what homemade lemonade you can use to refresh yourself in the summer heat!

Elderberry lemonade

If you have the opportunity to pick elderflowers, you should use them to make lemonade. To make 8-10 glasses of lemonade, you will need 10-15 of them, as well as 5 liters of water, 30-40 dkg of sugar and 3-4 lemons.

Remove the thick stems and place them in a large pot. Pour 5 liters of cold water, sprinkle with sugar, squeeze 2 lemons into it! Mix everything loosely, then leave it in the fridge for 1-2 days! Stir occasionally!

Then all that's left is to strain it squeeze, the juice from the lemon rings soaking in it, and squeeze the juice of 2 more lemons into it, and the divine elderberry lemonade is ready.

Lavender lemonade

The distinctive taste of lavender can spice up any drink! If you have a few tablespoons of dried lavender, all you need is water, sugar, and lemon to make an intoxicating lavender lemonade.

Mix 1.5-2 liters of water with 6-8 tablespoons of sugar and heat to boiling point. Don't let the water boil, turn off the fire! After the sugar has dissolved, you can add the lavender, then let it rest for a few hours!

After that comes filtering, the juice of 2-3 more lemons, a few lemon rings - and that's it!

Strawberry lemonade

30 dkg strawberries, 10-15 dkg sugar, 1 lemon: if you have these at your disposal, you can start making them! Clean the strawberries and blend until smooth with sugar, a pinch of salt, squeezed lemon juice and water! Add a little more water, blend a little longer, and you're done!

If you serve it ice cold, with ice cubes and colored with mint leaves and green lemon, you can be sure that no one will say no to it!

Homemade lemonade syrup

If you prefer those lemonades that are made from syrup, you can also make the syrup yourself at home! For about four servings of syrup, you will need 6-7 lemons and 25 dkg of sugar.

Wash the lemons thoroughly and squeeze out the juice. You should extract about 500-600 ml of lemon juice. Grate the rind of some lemons as well. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, while adding the sugar, but make sure the sugar doesn't caramelize! Strain the thick syrup and boil for a few more minutes. 

Pour into a disinfected bottle, preferably while still hot. Close the jars only after the syrup has cooled!

We hope we managed to get you in the mood for an ice-cold, refreshing lemonade! You can make it at home in countless different ways. And if you need some kitchen tools to quickly and easily prepare these cooling, lemon drinks, visit our online store!