Pink lemonade & summer time....

Sunshine is amazing, suddenly we lose the drab colours of winter not only in our gardens but also in our clothes.  Last weekend we heard that half the nation was busy having BBQ's and that got our imaginations going.  How can you jazz up a BBQ to make it extra special.  Adorn the garden or patio with bunting, use a pretty length of oil cloth to set off the table and dot tea lights around to add to the party feel.  For many juicy burgers and plump sausages are the main feature but for some it is fish parcels lovingly seasoned with fresh herbs and wrapped into little foil bundles to cook on the BBQ. The recipe options are endless and the side dishes can be simple yet delicious. 

What if you have no outside space, well the answer is simple have your BBQ indoors, but change the BBQ for the grill and have your very own grill-y-Q.  Pop the table by an open window, hang your bunting around the window, make a simple table runner from a scrap of cloth or even a pretty tea towel.  Indoor picnics of all types are fun, a winner with little ones and it means you do not have to mind the rain showers or get sand in your sandwiches.  You can still have paper plates, even put a picnic blanket on the lounge floor, the possibilities are endless.

So what to drink, how about some good old recipes such as Pink Lemonade or Lemon and Lime. Perfect in a flask for the designated driver if you are off in the car to the Proms in the Park or a country picnic. Want to add some zing then a splash of vodka, gin or brandy works well. Here is a simple easy to follow recipe which you can scale up or down to suit, we worked on serving 6 people. You can make this the day before and keep in the fridge.  Also you could substitute some of the sugar for the low calorie sugars now available.

Pink Lemonade  

1 1/4 cups of sugar (if using unsweetened cranberry juice, 1 cup if using sweetened)
4 cups water (divided into 1 cup and 3 cups)
1 cup cranberry juice (try to get not from concentrate usually found in the chiller section)
1 cup lemon juice (you can use freshly squeezed or bottled from the supermarket)
Ice cubes optional / slices of lemon optional

Method

1 Make a syrup by heating all the sugar and 1 cup of the water in a small pan until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat as soon as all sugar is dissolved.

2 Stir together the remaining water, cranberry juice, lemon juice and syrup you just made, stir well. Make adjustments to taste by adding more sugar if needed. Chill for an hour and then add ice if desired but not too much or it will water it down and top off with the lemon slices, again optional.  Stir just before serving

Lemon and Lime

1 1/2 cups of sugar
4 cups water (divided into 1 cup and 3 cups)
1 cup lime juice (you can use freshly squeezed or bottled from the supermarket)
1 cup lemon juice (you can use freshly squeezed or bottled from the supermarket)
Ice cubes optional / slices of lemon & lime optional

Method

Make a syrup by heating all the sugar and 1 cup of the water in a small pan until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat as soon as all sugar is dissolved.

Stir together the remaining water, lime juice, lemon juice and syrup you just made, stir well. Make adjustments to taste by adding more sugar if needed. Chill for an hour and then add ice if desired but not too much or it will water it down and top off with the lemon & lime slices, again optional.  Stir just before serving.

 

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