When Life Gives you Lemons.......

........make lemonade or Lemon Barley Water! Also an allegorical term to when things are not running as smoothly as we would like in real life and making the best of what we have out of any situation. A more positive way of dealing with hiccups.

There is nothing nicer during the hot sultry days of summer than cooling down with a nice glass of something especially if it is made fresh and then stored in the fridge or indeed the freezer if you want to make it in bulk say for a family party. 

I am very lucky in that I have reasonable access to a lot of Lemons at the moment.  Before Covid, Lemons had risen in price quite a bit from what they had been with one Lemon being charged at 40p each.  As I have access to a bowl full of Lemons at a very reasonable price (usually about £1 a bowl containing 6 to 8 Lemons), I try and do an awful lot of things with them. I tend to keep some in the fridge for fresh eating, however there are many ways of using Lemons and to start with, I am starting with a couple of drinks that can be made easily and used and incorporated into everyday life, but which are made with natural ingredients and you control how much sugar you add to the drinks.  No hidden nasties!  Best of all though, although they are not fizzy they are thirst quenching.  If you want to fizz them up I do not see why you cannot do so with a Sodastream!

Lemon drinks of any kind are something simple and refreshing to make at home, which satisfied your thirst on a hot summer day. Enjoying the moment when you take that first mouthful and the freshness of the drink which assuages that dry and lingering thirst.  Very cooling.

Something so simple to make without any unnecessary additives and better for you, if you keep a few simple things in your Pantry and food storage.  As I have all ingredients to hand I thought it was about time that I made a couple of batches with the Lemons I bought for £1 a basket the other day and stored in the fridge to get it nice and chilled, to having in this exceptionally hot weather we are experiencing at the moment.

I keep Pearl Barley on my Pantry shelf. I also tend to keep fresh Lemons or Lemon juice in the fridge as well. You can also freeze fresh Lemon juice in ice cube trays in the freezer for addition to your cooking through the year.

Homemade Lemonade and Lemon Barley can be "fancied up" with homemade ice cubes with little bits of herb and flowers in or little wild miniature strawberries or leaves.

Serve as is whenever you want it or in large glass jugs on your patio table loaded with ice cubes to go with your mid-day meal or evening meal in the garden as and when you can and especially when you are entertaining.

Lemonade

Ingredients

6 lemons
2lbs sugar
3 pints of boiling water.

Method

Scrub lemons, wipe dry then thinly pare the rind off the lemons using a potato peeler. Make sure not to have too much pith on as this can make the drink extremely bitter; tartness is one thing bitterness another.

Cut the lemons into small wedges and put into a large saucepan with the rind, the sugar and the boiling water.

Boil for 15 minutes then allow to stand until completely cool.

Strain the lemonade. I then decant into stoppered bottles and chill and store in the fridge until ready to serve. When that batch is used up make another. You can in effect make this all year round.

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Do you keep Pearl Barley on your Pantry shelf. I do, as I use it in stews and soups (notably Scotch Broth).  Flour can be made from the grain, and if you make the flour at home, any grits can be used in Porridge. You can also use it in drinks.  I think perhaps in this country we do not make as much of the grains that we do have as we could do.

Lemon Barley Water

Lemon Barley Water is not only a pleasant drink and if you make it fresh at home does not have unnecessary sugar in it is also good for your tummy.

This is an extremely soothing drink to have especially when you have had a bit of an upset tum or are having an upset tum.

For the Lemon Barley Water:

Ingredients:

10oz Pearl or Pot Barley

2 1/2 pints water

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

2oz sugar

Put the Pearl or Pot Barley into a saucepan with the water. Bring up to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes or so.

Turn off the heat and take pan off the plate or ring it has been cooking on. Stir in the lemon zest and sugar and leave until completely cold. Leave in the pan until completely cool.

Strain through a fine sieve or Muslin a couple of times and then stir in the lemon juice and serve chilled.

Yet again this drink is very refreshing and can be made all year round, especially if you keep the Pearl Barley on the Pantry shelf and Lemons in the fridge.  It will keep for a few days in the fridge as long as it is covered.

If you are going to be entertaining many people you can also bulk freeze this to maintain and ensure a regular supply of a nice cold refreshing drink.

Homemade drinks for next to nothing, plus you control what goes into them in the first place.  Old recipes, but ones that still pay dividends to this day.  Simple refreshing and making things comfortable for you and yours!

Photos to follow later on.

Pattypan

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