Lemonade

Did every kid, at some point growing up, have a lemonade stand at the end of their driveway?

I did.  And, given that this was one of my earliest business ventures, I like to think that those hours spent selling a cup of lemonade for a nickel fostered an everlasting entrepreneurial spirit in me.  But, in looking back on it, I’m amused at the business aspect of it all.  My mom bought all of the ingredients that went into the lemonade that I sold, yet allowed me to keep all the profits from it.  I guess what I learned is always make sure you have a generous venture capitalist with zero expectations of an ROI.

Lemonade is one of those things that has been around forever.  Supposedly it originated in Egypt around 700 AD.  Can’t you see those cute little Egyptian kids selling lemonade from a stand for a coin?  And lemonade continues to be a favorite beverage today.  Talk about lasting popularity.  Tang didn’t fare so well, even if the astronauts drank it in space.

Today, lemonade is popular in its original form, or with some fizz added, or served with ice tea (an “Arnold Palmer”).  It’s also found its way into many cocktails, including several of ours.  Lemonade is an easy way to refresh a crowd.  So, if you’re hosting a barbecue or brunch, lemonade is a sure way to please many.  You can make it fresh from scratch using this simple recipe.  Or, you don’t feel like juicing a mound of lemons, you can buy one of the natural bottled brands like Simply Lemonade.  And, and easy way to spice it up is to just provide some vodka on the side for guests to add if they choose.  We like to serve vodka in those little airline-size bottles, in a bucket of ice, next to this generation’s version of a lemonade stand.

Happy Entertaining!

Click here to get recipe