Lemonade Explained

Lemonade is a sweetened lemon-flavored drink.

There are varieties of lemonade found throughout the world.[1] In North America and South Asia, lemonade is typically non-carbonated and non-clarified (called "cloudy lemonade" in British English). It is traditionally a homemade drink using lemon juice, water, and a sweetener such as cane sugar, simple syrup, maple syrup or honey.[2] In the United Kingdom, Ireland, Central Europe, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, a carbonated lemonade soft drink is more common. Despite the differences between the drinks, each is known simply as "lemonade" in countries where it is dominant.

The suffix "-ade" may also be applied to other similar drinks made with different fruits, such as limeade, orangeade, or cherryade.[3]

History

A drink made with lemons, dates, and honey was consumed in Mamluk Egypt, including a lemon juice drink with sugar, known as qatarmizat.[4] In 1676, a company known as Compagnie de Limonadiers sold lemonade in Paris.[5] Vendors carried tanks of lemonade on their backs and dispensed cups of the soft drink to Parisians.[6]

While carbonated water was invented by Joseph Priestley in 1767 (with his pamphlet Directions for Impregnating Water with Fixed Air published in London in 1772),[7] the first reference found to carbonated lemonade was in 1833 when the drink was sold in British refreshment stalls.[8] R. White's Lemonade has been sold in the UK since 1845.[9]

Varieties

Cloudy lemonade

The predominant form of lemonade found in the US, Canada, and India, cloudy lemonade, also known as traditional or old fashioned lemonade in the UK and Australia, is non-carbonated and made with fresh lemon juice; however, commercially produced varieties are also available. Generally served cold, cloudy lemonade may also be served hot as a remedy for congestion and sore throats,[10] frozen, or used as a mixer.

Traditionally, children in US and Canadian neighborhoods start lemonade stands to make money during summer. The concept has become iconic of youthful summertime Americana to the degree that parodies and variations exist across media. References can be found in comics and cartoons such as Peanuts, and the 1979 computer game Lemonade Stand.

Pink lemonade

A popular variation of traditional lemonade, pink lemonade, is created by adding additional fruit juices, flavors, or food coloring to the recipe. Most store-bought pink lemonade is simply colored with concentrated grape juice or dyes.[11] Among those using natural colors, grape is the most popular, but cranberry juice, beet juice or syrup made from brightly colored fruits and vegetables such as rhubarb, raspberries, strawberries, or cherries are also used.[12]

The origin stories generally associate pink lemonade's invention with traveling circuses in the US. A 1912 obituary credited the invention of pink lemonade to circus worker Henry E. "Sanchez" Allott, saying he had dropped in red cinnamon candies by mistake.[13] Another origin story credits another circus worker, Pete Conklin, in 1857. His brother, lion tamer George Conklin, tells the story in his 1921 memoir, The Ways of the Circus. According to the story, Conklin's lemonade was a mixture of water, sugar and tartaric acid, with the tub garnished with a single lemon that he repeatedly used for the season. One day, he ran out of water. Searching desperately, he found a tub of water a bareback rider had recently used to rinse her pink tights. Adding in the sugar, acid and remaining bits of lemon, he offered the resulting mixture as "strawberry lemonade" and saw his sales double.[14]

Real lemons were too expensive for the circus, so artificial substitutes were widely used. In the past, tartaric acid was commonly used to produce the typical tart flavor. In the modern era, commercially produced lemonade and powdered mixes tend to rely on citric acid.

Though not the term's primary meaning, "pink lemonade" can also describe[15] [16] [17] [18] [19] "Indian lemonade", or lemonade made by soaking dried sumac berries, especially berries of species like Rhus typhina ("staghorn sumac"),[20] Rhus aromatica ("fragrant sumac", "lemon sumac"),[21] Rhus glabra ("smooth sumac", "scarlet sumac"),[22] [23] or Rhus integrifolia ("lemonade sumac", "lemonade berry");[24] Indian lemonade has a similar pinkish color.

Clear lemonade

The predominant form of lemonade in the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Switzerland, South Africa and Australia is a clear, lemon-flavoured carbonated beverage. Schweppes, Kirks, R. White's Lemonade and C&C are common brands, and shops usually carry a store-branded lemonade as well. Schweppes uses a blend of lemon and lime oils.[25] Other fizzy drinks, soft-drinks (or pop) which are both lemon and lime flavoured may also sometimes be referred to as lemonade, such as Sprite and 7 Up. There are also speciality flavours, such as Fentimans Rose Lemonade, which is sold in the UK, the US, and Canada. Shandy, a mixture of beer and clear lemonade, is often sold pre-bottled, or ordered in pubs.[26]

Brown lemonade

There are various drinks called brown lemonade. In Northern Ireland, brown lemonade is flavoured with brown sugar.[27] A variant from Venezuela has cane sugar and lime.[28]

Other varieties

In India and Pakistan, where it is commonly known as nimbu paani, and in Bangladesh, lemonades may also contain salt or ginger juice called lebur shorbot.[29] Shikanjvi is a traditional lemonade from this region, and can also be flavored with saffron, cumin and other spices.[30] [31] [32]

Limonana, a type of lemonade made from freshly squeezed lemon juice and mint leaves, is a common summer drink in the Middle East.[33] In Northern Africa, a drink called cherbat is made of lemon, mint, and rose water.

Switcha is a version of the drink made in the Bahamas and Turks & Caicos that can also be made with limes instead of lemons.

Citron pressé

In France, it is common for bars or restaurants to offer citron pressé, also called citronnade, an unmixed version of lemonade in which the customer is given lemon juice, syrup and water separately to be mixed in their preferred proportions.[34]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: LEMONADE – meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary. dictionary.cambridge.org. October 25, 2018. October 25, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181025190037/https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/lemonade. live.
  2. Web site: History of Lemonade. Buzzle. December 26, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151009223156/http://www.buzzle.com/articles/history-of-lemonade.html. October 9, 2015. dead.
  3. Book: Smith, Andrew F.. Food and Drink in American History: A "Full Course" Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. October 28, 2013. 978-1-61069-233-5. December 27, 2015. May 8, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160508162735/https://books.google.com/books?id=o7gxBgAAQBAJ. live.
  4. Web site: History of lemonade. December 26, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20120312080122/http://www.cliffordawright.com/caw/food/entries/display.php/id/95/. March 12, 2012. dead. Clifford A. Wright. March 12, 2012.
  5. Web site: The Victoria Advocate – Google News Archive Search. news.google.com. December 26, 2015. January 23, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160123111259/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=861&dat=20060703&id=SY0_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=8VUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5326,6663744&hl=en. live.
  6. Encyclopedia: Soft Drink . . April 20, 2022 . May 5, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150505041012/https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/552397/soft-drink . live .
  7. Priestley, Joseph. Directions for impregnating water with fixed air; in order to communicate to it the peculiar spirit and virtues of Pyrmont water, and other mineral waters of a similar nature. London: Printed for J. Johnson, 1772.
  8. Book: Emmins, Colin. Soft drinks – Their origins and history. 8 and 11. Shire Publications Ltd. 1991. 0-7478-0125-8. Great Britain. December 27, 2015. March 4, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304104125/http://www.britishsoftdrinks.com/write/MediaUploads/Publications/Soft_Drinks_-_Their_Origins_and_History.pdf. live.
  9. News: Chester homeless charity teams up with lemonade brand. Chester Chronicle. October 8, 2017. October 8, 2017. October 8, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171008232415/http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/chester-homeless-charity-teams-up-12254126. live.
  10. Web site: Is Lemonade Good for Sick People to Drink While They Have the Flu?. LIVESTRONG.COM. December 26, 2015. December 27, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151227055859/http://www.livestrong.com/article/545270-is-lemonade-good-for-sick-people-to-drink-while-they-have-the-flu/. live.
  11. Web site: The Unusual Origins of Pink Lemonade | History | Smithsonian . Smithsonianmag.com . August 16, 2016 . October 13, 2019 . October 7, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191007033332/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/unusual-origins-pink-lemonade-180960145/ . live .
  12. News: Kim . Eric . 2024-06-26 . This Is the Drink of the Summer Every Summer . 2024-07-01 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331.
  13. News: Inventor of pink lemonade dead . The New York Times . 11 . September 18, 1912 . September 21, 2007 . January 9, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210109184903/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1912/09/18/104907620.pdf . live .
  14. Nickell, Joe. Secrets of the Sideshows, 978-0813123585, University Press of Kentucky, 2005. pp. 31–32.
  15. Book: Wiles. Briana. 2016. Mountain States Foraging: 115 Wild and Flavorful Edibles from Alpine Sorrel to Wild Hops. Timber Press. 978-1-60469-678-3. 232. Spired clusters of red berries are fun for the kids to pick apart and make pink lemonade [with], especially in our not-so-tropical region..
  16. Book: Brill. "Wildman" Steve. 2017. Foraging New York: Finding, Identifying, and Preparing Edible Wild Foods. Globe Pequot. 978-1-4930-2428-5. 216–217. Strain out the fruit with a fine sieve or cheesecloth-lined colander, sweeten to taste, and enjoy the best pink lemonade you've ever tasted..
  17. Book: Gilbert. Rebecca. 2022. Weedy Wisdom for the Curious Forager: Common Wild Plants to Nourish Your Body & Soul. Llewellyn Publications. 978-0-7387-7207-3. Use a handful or more of sumac berries, fresh or dried, per gallon of water, or to taste. The resulting sour, pink liquid may be used to make sumac 'pink lemonade.'.
  18. Book: Feghali. Layla K.. 2024. The Land in Our Bones: Plantcestral Herbalism and Healing Cultures from Syria to the Sinai—Earth-based Pathways to Ancestral Stewardship and Belonging in Diaspora. North Atlantic Books. 978-1-62317-914-4. 100–111. Sumac berries infused in water with sweetener added make a wonderful pink lemonade, a recipe I learned from Indigenous communities in my diasporic California home, whose colloquial name for their native sumac tree is 'lemonade berry'..
  19. Book: Stewart. Hilary. 2009. Drink in the Wild: Teas, Cordials, Jams and More. Douglas and McIntyre. 978-1-55054-894-5. 115. Another method is to crush the seed cones in cold water and allow [them] to sit for several hours, preferrably overnight, then strain and add sugar. This gives a pink lemonade that is ideal for small children to make, since boiling water is not involved..
  20. Core. Earl L.. 1967. Ethnobotany of the southern Appalachian aborigines. Economic Botany. 21. 3. 198–214. 4252878.
  21. Nesom. Guy. 20 September 2000. USDA NRCS Plant Guide. 44. Fragrant Sumac, Rhus aromatica Ait., plant symbol = RHAR4. 60–80. USDA.
  22. Trees and shrubs for environmental education. Craig. Robert M.. Stone. Reba M.. 1977. Proceedings of the Florida State Horticultural Society. 90.
  23. Book: Linsenmeyer. Helen Walker. Kraig. Bruce. 2011. Cooking Plain, Illinois Country Style. SIU Press. 978-0-8093-3073-7.
  24. Book: Clarke, Charlotte Bringle. 2023. Edible and useful plants of California. 41. University of California Press. 978-0-520-03267-5.
  25. Web site: Product description . February 8, 2019 . February 9, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190209124304/http://www.schweppes.com.au/products/lemonade/ . live .
  26. Web site: shandy | Origin and meaning of shandy by Online Etymology Dictionary. www.etymonline.com. November 8, 2021. November 8, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211108121801/https://www.etymonline.com/word/shandy. live.
  27. Web site: Brown Lemonade . CooksInfo . en-US . March 18, 2020 . February 5, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200205015805/https://www.cooksinfo.com/brown-lemonade . live .
  28. News: Cilantro & Ajo brings Venezuelan street food to Pittsburgh's South Side . Next Pittsburgh . Kristy . Locklin . October 18, 2020 . February 5, 2020 . February 5, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200205021303/https://www.nextpittsburgh.com/eatdrink/cilantro-ajo-brings-venezuelan-street-food-to-pittsburghs-south-side/ . live .
  29. Web site: May 19, 2021 . Summer cooler: Try this refreshing lemonade with a twist . September 17, 2023 . The Indian Express . en . September 28, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230928233700/https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/food-wine/summer-cooler-try-nimboo-pani-with-a-twist-7318734/ . live .
  30. Jiggs Kalra, Pushpesh Pant, Classic cooking of Punjab, Allied Publishers, 2004,
  31. Julie Sahni, Indian regional classics: fast, fresh, and healthy home cooking, Ten Speed Press, 2001,, 9781580083454, "... Ginger Limeade (Shikanji) ..."
  32. https://indianrecipesecrets.com/2018/06/16/mint-lemonade-pudina-shikanji-pudina-nimbu-paani-masala-lemonade/ Mint lemonade / pudina shikanji / pudina nimbu paani / masala lemonade
  33. Web site: Limonana: Not your average lemonade . August 29, 2011 . May 28, 2012 . Zomppa . https://web.archive.org/web/20190326071838/http://www.zomppa.com/2011/08/29/limonana-not-your-average-lemonade/ . March 26, 2019 . dead .
  34. Book: Rough Guides Snapshot. Poitou-Charentes and the Atlantic Coast Rough Guides Snapshot France (includes Poitiers, La Rochelle, Île de Ré, Cognac, Bordeaux and the wineries). April 12, 2012. Rough Guides Limited. 978-1-4093-6293-7. 96. November 3, 2016. March 23, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170323151532/https://books.google.com/books?id=mxZ0oVDaZtgC&pg=PT96. live.

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