Perfect Lemonade

Image from Internet

This was the recipe that we used in class last fall when making fresh squeezed lemonade in my Restaurant Operations class at St Louis Community College - Forest Park.  The recipe was given to us by one of our Chef instructors and I adapted it to make a Sweet Basil Lemonade.

Perfect Lemonade

This will make 3-4 gallons of fresh made Lemonade

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
1 cup water 

5-6 cups of fresh basil
1 cup lemon juice
3 to 4 cups cold water (to dilute)

Method

1. Make simple syrup by heating the sugar and water in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved completely.(add your basil now)

2. While the sugar is dissolving, use a juicer to extract the juice from 6 to 8 lemons, enough for one cup of juice. 

3. Add the juice and the sugar water to a pitcher. Add 3 to 4 cups of cold water, more or less to the desired strength. Refrigerate. 

Chef's note: Remember my tricks.  I remove the zest from all the lemons first and use it to make a second batch of lemonade.  I will do the same thing with the pith.  The zest and pith batches may require extra sugar. 

Now for my addition of the basil flavor and to do this you chiffinade the basil and put into the simple syrup from the beginning.  Let it sit in the simple syrup for about 30 minutes and steep, strain off the solids and use the Basil Simple syrup that you just made to make your Lemonade.

When we made this, we zested and juiced the lemons before beginning the whole process.

What are you doing to eat healthier?

What are you doing to eat healthier?  Or are you even trying?  I did not care for years and whether my diet contributed to my current health issue of Multiple Sclerosis, I do not know.  But I do know that my High Blood Pressure and many other of the health issues that I deal with possibly could have been negated or not an issue at all, if I would have paid attention to my health a long time ago!?!?!?!

Harvard's New Guide to Healthy Eating:

1- Fill half of your plate with vegetables and fruits.

2- Save a quarter of your plate for whole grains

—not just any grains

3- Put a healthy source of protein on one quarter of your plate: 

Chose fish, chicken, beans or nuts

4- Use healthy plant oils

5- Drink water, coffee or tea during or after your food

6- Stay active 

Water - Borrowed from Facebook

Are you drinking enough water daily?

Recommend daily consumption: for men is roughly 3 liters and women is 2.2 liters.

Borrowed from 

We Are All One on Facebook

4/14/2012