FRESH BLUEBERRY LEMONADE

I love love love LOVE Lemonade! Is there anyone who doesn't like it? My first stint with it was in our Kerala form, Naranga Vellam ( Lime water). It is my drink of choice to date. It's such a refreshing thirst quencher. Even if I am not thirsty, I would stillorder one just so that I can enjoy my Lemonade no matter where I am.

I didn't know that there was anything beyond a Naranga Vellam until I started reading Enid Blyton's Secret Seven Series. Janet and Peter would make lemonades with the lemons and sugar their mom gave them, in that old garden shed just before their meeting started. Do you remember the stale rock buns? Isn't it so funny that even the word stale would get my appetite going when I was little, now, not so much. I really don't know how Janet's lemonade tasted like because she used to make it with a jug of water,some sugar and some lemons,which, while squeezed would squirt into Peter's eyes!

I've always wanted to try making some different kind at home,from the usual lemon-sugar-water. Last year around this time,Appan's best friend and wife visited us and we took them to an Italian store for a quick bite and Chandini aunty ordered a fresh Basil Lemonade for us.It was so,so good! Yes, basil and lemon are like best friends,they are awesome together.I am quite tired of the boxed mixes they sell at most restaurants so don't quite order it that frequently now.Two weeks ago, when we went to our Farmers Market, I stopped by the Lemonade stand as they were selling freshly squeezed ones.Not to mention, it was delicious and Ian drank most of it. He had to fight with me for it, to be honest. It was a hot day, you know ;-)

So, I bought some Blueberries after seeing Kevin's recipe on Closet Cooking.The best part of it is that, you can make the syrup ahead of time and stir up a jar full of fresh Blueberry Lemonade just before you feel like drinking some,or, like in our case,just before our friends came in for an impromptu Monday night dinner. I had made some Quick Appams & Fish Molee, so thought of calling our friends over to share the dinner with. Sharing makes everything taste so good!

FRESH BLUEBERRY LEMONADE
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
Blueberry syrup
1 cup blueberries
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/2 a lemon, juice

Lemonade
1 cup blueberry syrup
1 cup lemon juice
4 + cups water
Ice cubes

Method:
Blueberry syrup: Place the berries, sugar and water in a saucepan and bring it to a boil.Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Strain the syrup and reserve the solids.Mix the lemon juice to the syrup and use as needed. You can top your ice cream or yogurt with the reserved solids.

Blueberry lemonade: Stir all the ingredients together in a large jug. Serve chilled.

All I can say is that it was such a refreshing drink. Also, I know what exactly went into it,so, I don't have to think twice before I serve it to my family,especially Ian.