The Spirit World

This week in the Northern Hemisphere Spring came to our lives. Of course that means that in the Southern Hemisphere, it is now Autumn. I wanted this week’s Happy Hour at Home to celebrate both the coming of longer days up North and to help hold onto the warmth of summer in the South. It seems to me that nothing embodies the spirit of both more than freshly made lemonade. I mean the US definition of lemonade: freshly squeezed lemons, sugar or simple syrup and water. Then to bring a bit of celebration to the party we’ll add a shot of vodka!

This is a great beverage since the lemonade can be made up in advance; a big batch is just as good as a small batch; the lemonade on it’s own is suitable for anyone but with the addition of vodka becomes a refreshing adult beverage; and it goes with just about anything!

The recipe provided is the place to start, but plan on tasting and customizing based on how sweet or tart the lemons, your personal preferences and any special touches you’d like to add. For instance, just to be a bit different and because I like lime, I generally add the juice of one lime for a bit of extra zing. Remember that when you serve this over ice it will become diluted so the pure lemonade should be a bit on the strong side.

Homemade Lemonade

3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 6 large lemons)
1/2 cup simple syrup
4 cups water

Pour all ingredients into a large serving pitcher. Gently stir.

Fill a tall glass with ice. Add 1 1/2 oz of vodka, if desired. Fill the glass with lemonade. Garnish with a slice of lemon or sprig of mint.

Now, to go with this lemonade I’m going to suggest one of our favorite Cooking Club appetizers, Cumin Sticks. These were originally made for a Greek-themed dinner. Megan brought them and we munched them while sipping Ouzo on Rosanne’s front porch, enjoying a warm summer evening. The feeling of that evening and the taste of these savory bites are permanently linked in my mind.

Cumin Sticks

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 cup grated kefalotiri cheese
2 sticks butter, melted
1 egg, white and yolk separated
2 tablespoons ouzo
4 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons cumin seeds

Preheat oven to 350F.

Mix together flour, salt, mustard and cheese. Add the melted butter, egg yolk (reserve white), ouzo and water and mix to form a soft dough.

Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness and cut into 3×1/2 strips and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush with the egg white and sprinkle with the cumin seeds.

Bake for 15 minutes until light brown, remove and cool on racks.