Home-made drinks

Press, 30 August 1978, Page 18

Home-made drinks

ALISON HOLST KITCHEN DIARY

There are times when “instant” foods from packets and bottles are marvellous time savers; but if we use these products all the time we tend to forget what the original food really tastes like. This is a pity. In some cases it doesn’t take much

time and effort to “start from scratch.” Let me give you an example. When staying with a friend (who is a very good cook) I asked her if I could make myself a lemon drink. She apologised that she had no cordial in the house at the time and seemed quite

surprised when I said I would like to make one using lemons from the laden tree in her garden. It made me wonder how many children realise that you can make lemon drink from the fresh fruit. When I do this for my family, we all enjoy the results — and it is a very easy process. For a quick, hot lemon drink, all you do is peel a long curl of lemon rind, using a potato peeler. Put this in a glass, with the juice squeezed from one large lemon, or two small ones. Add one or two teaspoons of honey or sugar.

Leave the spoon in the glass, and fill it with hot water. Stir well, remove the peel if you like, and there is your lemon drink. There are lots of variations you can make with a sprig of mint, a clove or two, a cinnamon stick or a slice of fresh root ginger, and although it may be “all in the mind” I would swear that I feel better, when I am fighting a cold, if I have a hot lemon drink that has been laced with whisky or rum. It is easy to convert your hot drink to a cold one by adding only half a glass of hot water, stirring well, then adding several ice blocks and some cold water. Although my husband is right when he complains that this is a waste of energy, it is a quick and easy way to cool the drink. Note: If vou become ad-

dieted to fresh lemon drinks, look for a little gadget that will peel off a circular strip of lemon rind, rather than the flat strip which a potato peeler removes.