HOT, HOT, HOT, HOT!

HOT is the forecast for the upcoming week, not just here in the Twin Cities, but across most the country.

Did you know that the all-time record high for not just the United States, but also the Western Hemisphere was in Death Valley (at Greenland Ranch, which is now known as Furnace Creek Ranch) soared to 56,6 degrees Celsius (134 F) on July 10, 1913. That date was actually one of five consecutive days when Death Valley recorded a high of 129 degrees or higher.

September 13 1922 El Azizia, Libia the temperature went up to a sizzling 136 F in the shade making this the hottest day in recorded history. They say that is hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk but lemonade would be more refreshing.

Don’t let the heat get you down, take a stand! We say, why not make some fresh squeezed lemonade?  Here is the cutest Lemonade Stand to help you and the kiddos keep your cool in this heat wave.

Try this surefire method from Simply Recipes.

Remember the starting proportions – 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of water, 1 cup of lemon juice. (This ratio makes a pretty sweet lemonade. Reduce the amount of sugar if you want your lemonade less sweet.) The secret to perfect lemonade is to start by making sugar syrup, also known as “simple syrup”. Dissolving the sugar in hot water effectively disperses the sugar in the lemonade, instead of having the sugar sink to the bottom.

Perfect Lemonade Recipe

  • Prep time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar (can reduce to 3/4 cup)
  • 1 cup water (for the simple syrup)
  • 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.

2 While the sugar is dissolving, use a juicer to extract the juice from 4 to 6 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 30 to 40 minutes. If the lemonade is a little sweet for your taste, add a little more straight lemon juice to it.

Serve with ice, sliced lemons.

Yield: Serves 6.