The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Lemon zest
Welcome summer with picnic, homemade lemonade, outdoor concert
The long-awaited warm weather has arrived, bringing to mind picnic dinners for enjoying in some of the beautiful wooded and waterside settings in this part of Northeast Ohio.
Ohio’s smallest county, Lake, comes with the advantage of short drives to magnificent locations, so even weekday picnics, set for twilight time after work, are an easy possibility.
Consider pairing your outdoor meal with a musical event for a sublime and memorable backdrop.
Two area venues come to mind.
The Holden Arboretum’s concert series takes place on Tuesday evenings on the shores of Corning Lake, while Mentor’s Music at the Manor is Wednesdays at 6 p.m. on the garden patio tucked in behind Wildwood Cultural Center. To check out Wildwood, stop by the Fine Arts & Wine Festival on its grounds from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 17.
Although wine and food is available for purchase at the Arboretum’s 7 p.m. concerts, you can’t bring your own wine to either venue.
Today’s recipe for homemade lemonade will go with any picnic dinner you prepare and will quench thirsts nicely if brought along without food. It’s a much healthier beverage choice than cold pop, and everybody should love it.
When planning your outdoor meal, keep food safety in mind. That means hot foods should be kept hot and cold foods cold.
Pack your ice separately in sealed plastic bags used to keep salad fixings and other picnic foods cold. Making lemonade with a lemon syrup you’ve prepared allows the sugar to dissolve instead of sinking to the bottom.
Lemonade is best prepared with water, chilled and then served over ice, so start making your lemonade at least an hour before packing the rest of your picnic.
Use a microplane grater
to get the finest lemon zest while avoiding the bitter white pith beneath the skin.
Microwave lemons for 15 seconds to release their
juices or roll each lemon firmly on your countertop before slicing in half for juicing.
Use a hand-held citrus press or reamer to extract the juice most efficiently. Take the prepared lemonade to your picnic in a large thermos jug and when you arrive pour it over ice in glasses.