It’s starting: 80 degree days, no chance of rain and sudden urges to ditch that Friday afternoon discussion for a trip to Clark Street Beach. Sure, you drag along your textbooks in order to console your conscious that, yes, you will be productive at some point throughout this gorgeous day. However, it doesn’t happen for you. Instead, you play some beach volleyball and blatantly check out the entire sailing team. That’s kind of like studying.
After such an exhausting day, one desire pops into your head. No, not sex. Your significant other is visiting his/her parents in Ohio. Yes, the next best thing: a glass of ice cold lemonade.
It’s perfect combination of sour and sweet that will satisfy absolutely any hardworking American. Technically, you could swipe into the dining hall and grab yourself a glass of Minute Maid. But...this is Northwestern, we don’t do shit the easy way.
We contemplate. We deliberate. We improvise. We take life’s lemons, and make a little spiked lemonade. With these fun spin-offs to a classic recipe, you’re sure to ease into Evanston’s summer heat.
Basic Recipe: (8 cups)
1 cup sugar
1 cup lemon juice (bottled) or 2 cups (fresh) or 1 can frozen concentrate
6 cups water
POTENTIONAL ADDITIONS:
For a fruity flair:1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, strawberries or blackberries
Take a trip to Whole Foods and buy some of the fresh berry offerings that are abundant this time of year and dip them in some citrus-flavored vodka or rum. Immediately after, put them in the freezer. While the water content of the fruit itself will freeze, the alcohol should concentrate on the outside. You can add it to your lemonade for a sweet treat at the end of your drink. However, this is a sweet and sort of healthy (antioxidants...right?) treat on its own as well.
For a tipsy night on the town:
1-2 cups of citrus-flavored Smirnoff vodka
For a stronger kick, add a cup of liquor for every six cups of water. Adding any more than that will take it from a ‘mixed drink’ to lemon-flavored shots on shots. Although your plain old Smirnoff will work, try a citrus-flavored vodka to highlight the lemon flavor and add some sweetness. Ketel One Citroen or Smirnoff Citrus or Orange flavors will work nicely. However, mango or pineapple-flavored Malibu Rum is a good substitute. Try to stick to light and fruity flavors, though, to keep the lemonade tasting as just that: lemonade.
Spiced rum, tequila or whiskey (if you’re into that) will be way to heavy for the lemonade base. Stick to this rule of thumb: only clear alcoholic beverages will work as a mix-in.For a study session on the Lakefill:
Fruit juices, ginger ale or tea
Adding any of these to your lemonade (spiked or not) can be a fun way to spice up the summer classic. Replace one cup of water with one cup of the alternative beverage of your choice. However, if you are adding fruit juices or soda, remember that these ingredients already have plenty of sugar, so decrease the amount of sugar to a 1/2 cup when making the original lemonade recipe.