Summer drinks

Lemonade

In some ways, it seems silly to have a recipe for lemonade - but on those hot days of summer,  it's nice to know the correct proportions.  This is a really simple recipe though:

• Combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a microwavable bowl.  Microwave until the sugar is dissolved.
• Add 1 cup lemon juice (or a little more or a little less, depending on your tastes.
• Now add 4 cups cold water - or dilute it to taste.

Rhubarb-ade

This is like lemonade, only made with rhubarb.  It's really nice.

Cook together for about 15 minutes

• 1 lb (about 4 cups) rhubarb, cut into 1/2 inch slices, 
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 Litre (a quart) of water

When the rhubarb is soft, strain the resulting pulp through a cheesecloth bag, saving the juice.

Pour over ice to serve, using about 1 part rhubarb juice to 4 parts water.

Chokecherry drink

You use chokecherry syrup to make this.  Mix equal parts chokecherry syrup to ginger ale (for a sparkling drink).  Serve over ice.  Except that it uses up a lot of chokecherry syrup, it's a beautiful mauve colour and tastes like summer.

The Recipe

This is a throw-back to The Waltons, which we all watched when growing up.  They always had "the recipe", which you gathered was a type of moonshine.  This one is definitely non-alcoholic though.  This was always served at family gatherings.

Mix together

• 1 can frozen lemonade
• 1 bottle Welch's grape juice
• 1 2L bottle of ginger ale
• about 4-6 cups water (until it tastes right