Information about Lemonade

Lemonade is a name given to two different types of juice. In the U.S., Canada and Denmark, lemonade refers to an uncarbonated mixture of lemon juice, sugar, and water.

In the UK, Australia, Switzerland, and New Zealand, the term mainly refers to a colourless, carbonated, sweet lemon-flavoured soft drink.

In India, lemonade (commonly known as limbu paani) refers to an uncarbonated mixture of lemon juice, sugar and water which may or may not contain common or rock salt. (limbu paani is made with limes, not lemons)

History

The first lemonades were created in the 1540s in Paris

Lemonade, in its uncarbonated form, is among the oldest of commercial soft drinks, dating at least back to the 17th century. In Paris in 1676, a business called the Compagnie de Limonadiers was formed and granted monopoly rights to sell lemonade, which their vendors dispensed in cups from tanks carried upon their backs. [1] The French term limonade has since come to mean "soft drink" in many languages.

Lemonade in the US is a drink enjoyed year round, but mainly during the summer time. The ingredients typically consist of lemon juice, water and sugar. It can be very concentrated or diluted, and it can be made from fresh lemons, frozen concentrate, or powdered mixes.

History of Pink Lemonade

An article from a New Jersey newspaper cites William "Billie" Henry Griffith of Three Bridges, NJ as the discoverer of pink lemonade. The article reads as follows:

At the age of 17 "Billie" tired of farming and joined up with Forepaulg's Circus. The job of tending a refreshment stand was assigned to him... It was up to Billie to make his own taffy, lemonade and roast his own peanuts. Then one day, quite by accident, back in 1873, Billie discovered "Pink Lemonade"...Circus day was at hand. An abundant supply of water for the lemonade was necessary, everything was ready for the big show and the crowds were beginning to move in. As fate would have it, a lady bare-back rider had hung out a pair of tights and a skirt on a line near Billies fresh batch of lemonade. A stiff breeze lifted those tights from the line and deposited them into the container. Dyes in those days were not color-fast and to Billies dismay he saw his lemonade take on a pinkish hue! It was too late to make more for the crowds were already milling around. Always a trooper at heart, living by the creed that 'the show must go on' Billed used the occasion and shouted in his familiar way "Step right up and get some pink lemonade! Absolutely new! Better than any lemonade ever made!" The customers crowded in, they drank and came back for more and Billie had made a name for himself.

The New York Times, however, credited Henry E. "Bunk Allen" Allott, as the inventor in his obituary:

At 15 he ran away with a circus and obtained the lemonade concession. One day while mixing a tub of the orthodox yellow kind he dropped some red cinnamon candies in by mistake. The resulting rose-tinted mixture sold so surprisingly well that he continued to dispense his chance discovery.^[1]

Traditionally, pink lemonade is coloured with beet juice. Yellow may be coloured with yellow beta-carotene. Though artificial colourings may also be used. These colourings from 'natural' sources may only be referred to as "colour" in ingredients listing because they are thought to be safe - whereas, artificial colourants must be listed by number.^[2]

United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand

In the UK, Australia and New Zealand the name lemonade usually refers to a drink that is carbonated, clear, and contains either natural or artificial lemon flavour - although sometimes very little of this latter ingredient. It is very similar in taste and appearance to drinks such as 7 Up and Sprite. In fact, these two drinks would be called 'lemonade' in Australia.

Lemonade also has a generic meaning and can be used to describe any sweet, flavoured, carbonated beverage. Thus Coca-Cola would be considered simply one flavour of lemonade in Australia, as would Fanta, or chinotto.

When mixed, lemonade and beer produce a shandy or a portagaff. Lemonade is also an important ingredient in the Pimm's Cup cocktail, and a popular drink mixer.

The still drink that Americans call lemonade exists in the UK as a 'home made' drink (also called lemonade or lemon crush), but is only rarely sold commercially under that name. A carbonated version is commonly sold commercially as 'cloudy' or 'traditional' lemonade. There are also similar uncarbonated products, lemon squash and Lemon barley water, both of which are usually sold as a syrup which is diluted to taste.

In Great Britain in the 1970s lemonade was not considered a glamorous product. This was deliberately parodied in a television commercial for R. White's lemonade, in which a man sneaks downstairs in his pajamas singing "I'm a secret lemonade drinker — I'm trying to give it up but it's one of those nights." When his wife catches him at the refrigerator he sheepishly offers her a glass. The commercial was a huge success and ran for almost a decade, although later attempts to revive the campaign were less successful.

Ireland

In Ireland, lemonade refers to the carbonated, lemon-flavoured soft drink but is further sub-divided into white lemonade and red lemonade. White lemonade equates to the colourless fizzy lemonade common in many countries, while red lemonade is particular to Ireland. Red lemonade differs slightly in taste from white lemonade and is either drank neat or as part of a whiskey mixer. It is also red.

Flavours

Other fruit juices or syrups can be added to lemonade to give it a range of flavours and colours. Common fruit flavors are strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, and kiwifruit.

In language

A popular quote by Dale Carnegie is "If life gives you lemons, make lemonade", meaning that one should make the best of bad situations.

The term "depression lemonade" refers to the practice of asking for a glass of water with lemon at a restaurant, then squeezing the lemon into the water and mixing in sugar packets to make free lemonade. (See also ghetto latte.)

External links and references

• Of the Street Sale of Ginger-Beer, Sherbet, Lemonade,&C., from London Labour and the London Poor, Volume 1, Henry Mayhew, 1851; subsequent pages cover the costs and income of street lemonade sellers.

See also

• Limeade
• Leninade
• Mike's Hard Lemonade Co.
• Leed