Rosemary Lemonade with cherries

Plans for the stand began weeks before school let out. He saw the potential for profit enabling him to buy yet another lightsaber while we saw the opportunity to teach hard work, beginning business skills and a way for us to drink cup after cup of tart lemonade this summer.

The moment Baron (6) came up with the brilliant idea of building the stand on his wagon, making it mobile, everything else quickly fell into place. Gabe set out to work getting a few moments of help from the boys in between sword fights, while I perfected the recipe and kept little fingers away from sharp saws. Covered in plastic ponchos Baron, Roman (4) and I painted the stand a pristine white with lemon (of course) yellow stripes stretching the width.

I stood back to observe the scene and set its details deep in my memory. A blonde head of hair covered in white paint as he took his job of painting the inside of the stand (a section virtually unseen by anyone) very seriously. He refused to stop until every inch was coated in a thick layer of paint – including himself. Baron directed us and gave tips on painting techniques, pridefully beaming as we inched our way closer to opening day. The grass, now covered in a layer of paint became cool and damp as the gentle sun made way for evening. Carrying our tired and chilled bodies inside we warmed up with hot chocolate while yet dreaming of our lemonade business.

So far we’ve only opened one day as the rains have kept us inside and leave very few pining for the refreshing chill of lemonade but it was a successful first day. As the first customer approached the stand Baron quickly tucked in his shirt to appear a bit more professional and promptly set out to muddle a few cherries into their cup. Timidly avoiding eye contact he thanked them and proudly took their money while handing them their cup. With the first customers just steps away he was already eager for the next.

Roman helped too, although we are still working on his understanding that not every cup of lemonade is for him. A lesson we realized necessary as he took a drink of a customer’s before handing it to her. We made her a fresh cup while laughing at his sweet misunderstanding. Unlike his brother, he’s not as motivated by the money but would just rather sit and drink lemonade all day. I couldn’t love them more.

There have been only a few days that demand the cooling effects of lemonade but we have had a taste of what the sunny days of summer look like for us now as lemonade stand owners. And it’s as pleasant as the lemonade itself – not too sweet, tart but not painfully so and softly piney and herbal – a far cry from the Country Time powdered concoction I sold at my childhood stand.

It feels a momentous thing, this lemonade stand. One that evokes memories of my childhood while sealing in new memories for both us and the kids. It’s a small project with great reward – growth as a family, connectedness with our community, learning to serve, pushing oneself out of our comforts and a near endless supply of lemonade.

 

 

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Rosemary Lemonade

  Honey and lemons are a natural pairing which is why my version uses honey in the simple syrup. As a result less sugar is needed and it gives the lemonade a herbal sweetness that sets it apart and leaves customers returning again and again. makes about 2 ½ quarts ½ cup honey (use a light flavored honey such as clover) ½ cup sugar 2 cups water 3 sprigs rosemary 2 cups fresh lemon juice about 5 cups water (more or less depending on desired sweetness and tang) Rainier cherries (or whatever variety you have on hand) In a small saucepan combine the honey, sugar and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil then turn off the heat. Give this mixture a quick stir to ensure all the sugar has dissolved then add the rosemary. Let steep until cool. Meanwhile juice enough lemons to produce 2 cups of lemon juice. I like a bit of pulp in my lemonade so I strain the juice then add back a bit of pulp. When the syrup is cool combine it with the lemon juice in a pitcher. Add in 5 cups water (you can start with 4 then add more if needed. I like my lemonade quite tart so you may even want to add up to 6 cups). Taste and adjust to your liking. If serving at a lemonade stand muddle two pitted rainier cherries in each cup before pouring over ice. If not you can muddle a cup or so of cherries into a pitcher then add the lemonade. The cherries don’t give off much flavor to the lemonade but the lemonade gives great flavor to the cherries making them a wonderful reward for finishing an incredibly refreshing cup of lemonade.  

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Two pies are better than one

They called out for chocolate pie or yet another strawberry pie but I chose the cherries. I may be getting a bit ahead of myself as the cherries were a bit firm and not quite up to their usual sweetness but I couldn’t resist their nearly black exterior and the sign that praised their local roots. Also, I happen to agree with Nigel Slater who says, “A bag of cherries is a bag of happiness.”

Then for some reason the little tomatoes with tight skin and a red reminiscent of a fire engine called to me as well and I thought, “what’s better than a fresh home baked pie? TWO fresh, home baked pies.”

I told the kids there would be a pie picnic and I quickly set to work.

There is something strange and wonderful that happens when I make pie. It’s as if I’ve pressed the mute button to life as I begin to slice through cold butter. The kids play around me but I don’t really hear them. The house remains a mess but I’m focused on the pie and carefully mixing the ingredients to form a dough that is both tender and flaky. One that would make my grandma and my mother proud. Both ladies who have made and continue to make some of the best pie around.

I tackled the pile of cherries only briefly quibbling with myself as to why I didn’t just get strawberries – a pit-less fruit. But the spatters of blood-red juice that paints my kitchen were soon forgiven with one bite of their sweet and spiced juice baked in a buttery shell.

We made a meal of pie and I felt no guilt. There was sun, green grass and birds singing a melody hoping to woo us to give them a bite (they gave up the wooing and stole a piece when we weren’t looking). We were left with enough leftovers to ensure us of a promise of pie for breakfast – my favorite way to eat it.

 

 

 

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Roasted Tomatoes with Sharp Cheddar Crust // Cherry Pie

Roasted Tomatoes in a Sharp Cheddar Crust Sharp Cheddar Crust 4 ounces melted butter 1 cup flour 1 cup finely shredded sharp cheddar (I used a microplane) ½  teaspoon salt Add melted butter and flour in a bowl, stir in cheese and salt. Make sure everything is combined well and there are no clumps of cheddar. Press the dough thinly and evenly in a 9” tart pan. 1 small shallot thinly sliced 10 ounces (roughly 2 cups) cherry tomatoes, halved 1 Tablespoon olive oil 1 tsp fresh thyme salt and pepper Toss these ingredients together in a bowl then pile on top of the tart pan. Bake in a 350*F oven for 1 hour or until the edge of the crust is deep golden. Let cool for at least 20 minutes on a wire rack before removing tart rim. Serve room temperature with greens. The tart is beautifully tender so take care when removing from the pan. Pie Dough 2 ⅓ cup (10 oz) all-purpose flour 1 t. salt 2 tablespoons sugar 2 sticks (8 oz) cold butter, cut in ½” cubes 2 tablespoon canola oil 2 tablespoons heavy cream 2 tablespoons cold water In the bowl of a stand mixer add dry ingredients. Mix on low to combine. Add butter using to hands to evenly distribute. While mixing on low slowly add the oil, cream and cold water. When crumbly and dough holds together when squeezed it’s ready. I like to finish off the mixing by hand to insure that the butter is evenly mixed and some remains in rough pea-size crumbles. Divide in two discs and wrap well. Chill for one hour. Cherry Filling  2 pounds cherries (I used Bing cherries. If you are lucky enough to have sour cherries you can use those and simply omit the lemon juice) 3/4 cup brown sugar ¾ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon nutmeg ¼ teaspoon ground ginger ¼ t black pepper ¼ t salt 3 Tablespoon cornstarch zest and juice from 1 lemon egg 1 Tablespoon butter 2 Tablespoons sugar Mix everything in a large bowl then set aside while rolling the crust. Roll out one of the discs of dough and place in a pie pan (I prefer glass pie pans as you can see the color of the bottom crust while baking and it seems to bake more evenly). Use flour if the dough is sticking at all. Roll to about ⅛” inch thick. Place the pan with the bottom crust in the freezer while rolling out the second disc. Roll out the other disc to ⅛” inch thickness. If you are doing a lattice top cut the dough in ½” strips. Remove the pan from the freezer and fill with the cherries. Top the pie with the top crust, alternating the ½” strips. Brush the top with a lightly beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar. Dot the pie with a few little bits of butter before putting in a 370*F oven for at least one hour or until the crust is deep golden and the juices are bubbling thickly. *My friend Stephanie makes those lovely little pie boxes you see in the photos. They are perfect for sharing a piece of pie and for taking home leftovers from a pie picnic. *Today the internet is having a bit of a pie party. Check out all these beautiful pies.

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