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We got lemons so we decided to make lemonade (not a metaphor). I know you can do this by mixing lemon juice, sugar, and water, but I couldn't remember the ratio. I decided to search the web for "lemonade recipe". All the results had click-baitey titles, so I instead search for "simple lemonade recipe". First step of the first result: "to prevent the sugar from crystallizing at the bottom, start by making a simple syrup."

I hate the internet sometimes.

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Jonathan Lamothe
Jonathan Lamothe
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@som_snytt I wish I had a lemon tree. I don't even have the land on which to grow one. 🙃
@Som Snytt
in reply to Jonathan Lamothe

Bob Jonkman
Bob Jonkman
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I have a cutting board with the message "Real Men Don't Use Recipes."

And it's surprising how good a glass of water with a squirt of lemon juice is. No sugar needed.

in reply to Bob Jonkman

Jonathan Lamothe
Jonathan Lamothe
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@Bob Jonkman I need recipes, at least the first time around to establish a baseline. I can sometimes improvise from there.
@Bob Jonkman
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Ben Zanin
Ben Zanin
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@bobjonkman I know you were airing a complaint and not requesting advice, and it is a grievance I feel deeply in my bones too...

...but would you like a truly kick-ass lemonade recipe?

@Bob Jonkman

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Jonathan Lamothe
Jonathan Lamothe
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@Ben Zanin Managed to find a decent one, but I'm not gonna say no.
@Ben Zanin
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Ben Zanin
Ben Zanin
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@me the best lemonade I've ever made starts with oleo saccharum: the super volatile oils from the lemon peel, dissolved into and stabilized by sugar. The trick is to peel the lemons, weigh the peels, measure that same weight of granulated white sugar (*not* powdered, I'll get back to that), then use a cheap plastic bag vacuum sealer to jam the peel and sugar together. Leave it in the fridge for a day or two.

Juice the lemons, jar the juice, use the oleo saccharum as your sweetener.

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@Jonathan Lamothe

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Ben Zanin
Ben Zanin
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@me You'll probably want to add some water after mixing the lemon juice and sugar; that step is up to your taste, and it'll depend on the tartness and sweetness of your lemons anyhow. You have a delightful opportunity at this step to use carbonated water if you like, though note that this seems to aerosolize some of the suspended lemon oils: you'll gain in aroma but lose just a touch in flavour. If you tend to garnish your lemonade adventurously this is another opportunity to embellish.

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@Jonathan Lamothe
in reply to Ben Zanin

Ben Zanin
Ben Zanin
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@me The thing about powdered sugar is that it should be finer and thus more aggressive about absorbing lemon oil, right? Except that most powdered sugar also has some anti-caking additives to offset how hydrophilic sugar is - often a powdered starch of some kind - and while it doesn't come through in baking, you'll taste it in your lemonade. Avoid my mistake!

bonappetit.com/story/lemoniest…

jeffreymorgenthaler.com/vacuum…

You'll never go back. It's everything you want lemonade to be. 💛🍋

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Vacuum Seal Oleo Saccharum - Jeffrey Morgenthaler

I’ve said this before: I’m a lazy guy, and yet I’m a perfectionist. I want my cocktails perfectly-prepared, but I’d really rather not work too hard.
Jeffrey Morgenthaler
@Jonathan Lamothe

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