Now, you don't always want to serve alcohol at events in Alice Springs, but what can you do instead? I recently made up three drinks for an event including a spicy ginger lemonade, a tamarind soda and a pomegranate and orange blossom punch. Basically each drink was a balance of sour and sweet, with added flavours such as ginger, orange blossom water and spices and pomegranate juice (Pomme) for colour.
Tomorrow I'm going to make two lemonades on live radio. The first is a classic traditional Australian lemonade using lemons, sugar and lemon essence. The second, is of course a Middle Eastern lemonade, almost identical to the Australian, with the lemon essence being replaced with orange blossom water. For both, you will need to make a sugar syrup on one part sugar to two parts water, bring to the boil to dissolve the sugar and allow to cool. Squeeze at least 6 lemons.
The following recipe is adapted from "Cookery, the Australian Way"
Lemon Cordial
To serve, add a small quantity of cordial to glass with ice and mint. Add either sparkling mineral water or iced water. Garnish with a slice of lemon.
Middle Eastern Lemonade
(Adapted from 'Great Vegetarian Dishes' by Kurma Dasa)
To serve, add a small quantity of lemonade to glass with ice and mint. Add either sparkling mineral water or iced water. Garnish with a slice of lemon.
Indian Lemonade
(Adapted from 'Feast Bazaar' by Barry Vera)
Ingredients
Large piece of ginger (around 10 cm in length, grated)
1 cup sugar
1 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
4-5 cardamom pads, bruised
10 -15 peppercorns
1 teaspoon roasted cummin seeds
(Ice, mint and either chilled water or sparkling mineral water to serve)
Method
Place all ingredients and 2 cups sugar in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
Allow to simmer for around 1 hour, then place a lid on the pan and stand overnight.
Pour the liquid through a strainer lined with muslin and pull into a tight bag to squeeze out as much of the mixuture.
To serve, add a small-ish quantity (more than the recipes above) of lemonade to glass with ice and mint. Add either sparkling mineral water or iced water. Garnish with a slice of lemon.
Tip: try adding a few pieces or lemon peel to the sugar syrup when you make it up.
Tomorrow I'm going to make two lemonades on live radio. The first is a classic traditional Australian lemonade using lemons, sugar and lemon essence. The second, is of course a Middle Eastern lemonade, almost identical to the Australian, with the lemon essence being replaced with orange blossom water. For both, you will need to make a sugar syrup on one part sugar to two parts water, bring to the boil to dissolve the sugar and allow to cool. Squeeze at least 6 lemons.
The following recipe is adapted from "Cookery, the Australian Way"
Lemon Cordial
- Make up 1 quantity of sugar syrup and cool.
- Add the juice of around six lemons (at least a cup).
- Add 1/2 teaspoon of lemon assence.
To serve, add a small quantity of cordial to glass with ice and mint. Add either sparkling mineral water or iced water. Garnish with a slice of lemon.
Middle Eastern Lemonade
(Adapted from 'Great Vegetarian Dishes' by Kurma Dasa)
- Make up 1 quantity of sugar syrup and cool.
- Add the juice of around six lemons (at least a cup).
- Add 2 teaspoons of orange blossom water.
To serve, add a small quantity of lemonade to glass with ice and mint. Add either sparkling mineral water or iced water. Garnish with a slice of lemon.
Indian Lemonade
(Adapted from 'Feast Bazaar' by Barry Vera)
Ingredients
Large piece of ginger (around 10 cm in length, grated)
1 cup sugar
1 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
4-5 cardamom pads, bruised
10 -15 peppercorns
1 teaspoon roasted cummin seeds
(Ice, mint and either chilled water or sparkling mineral water to serve)
Method
Place all ingredients and 2 cups sugar in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
Allow to simmer for around 1 hour, then place a lid on the pan and stand overnight.
Pour the liquid through a strainer lined with muslin and pull into a tight bag to squeeze out as much of the mixuture.
To serve, add a small-ish quantity (more than the recipes above) of lemonade to glass with ice and mint. Add either sparkling mineral water or iced water. Garnish with a slice of lemon.
Tip: try adding a few pieces or lemon peel to the sugar syrup when you make it up.
