Signature Drink: Southern Lemonade

Lemonade and fresh lemons
Image from Once Wed

I love lemonade. I love everything about it: its color, its taste, that its a metaphor for picnics, and sweet love, and innocence. When I was a girl, about 9 or 10, I would save buy fresh lemons with my allowance. I would bring my booty home, and squeeze the lemons, add a touch of water (I like super sour lemonade) and lots of sugar. It was the best. By the time I was a teenager, I was a self-professed connosueir of lemonade. I would seek out hand-crafted lemonade from the best resteraunts in the Berkshires, where I grew up. This time I would use my babysitting money to buy the $3 and $4 concoctions and a small appetizor, so I would not look too cheap. But I was really there for the lemonade.

I think lemonade is the perfect refreshemnt for southern weddings.

So when I heard Tara Guerard of Soiree mention her signature Lowcountry Lemonade on the Weding Podcast Network's Meet the Wedding Masters, I ran out to buy lemons…and peach schnapps. The peach schnapps and fresh mint give this lemonade a delightfully southern flare.

Glasses of Lemonade
Image from the Bridal Guide

Lowcountry lemonade based on Tara Guerard's recipie

  1. Fill a Zombie glass with plenty of crushed ice
  2. Add 1 ounce Peach Schnapps
  3. Fill remainder glass with lemonade (pink or regular depending on the color you want)
  4. You can change the color to blue by using a small amount of Blue Curacao or to red by using Grenadine.
  5. Use fresh mint to garnish or add a flower (not a poisonous one!) 
  6. Enjoy!!!

lemonade
Image from Merry Making Events Blog

Bumping it up a notch with homemade lemonade, à la Hindsight Bride

Tara doesn't specify what kind of lemonade, but I recommend Hindsight Bride's recipie. The trick to perfect lemonade is starting with simple syrup.

  1. Make a simple syrup by heating one cup each of sugar and water in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved completely. I like to let this cool completely, usually over night.
  2. Juice 4 to 6 lemons, or enough for approximately one cup of lemon juice.
  3. Combine the juice and the simple syrup in a pitcher. Dilute with about 3 to 4 cups of cold water, depending on how strong youlike it. Refrigerate for at least 30 to 40 minutes. You can adjust the sweetness by adding more lemon juice or more simple syrup.
  4. serves approximately six. Adjust accordingly for the size of your guest list.

YUM!