Home-made lemonade – zingy refreshment for hot days

• The origins of lemonade and the benefits of making your own
• Spoilt for choice: decide between fruits, herbs, and even vegetables.
• The right preparation

The term lemonade originally comes from 17th century France, and derives from the word “limon” meaning lemon. Lemonade is also known as pop, because it used to be sold in bottles with a marble in the neck, which would pop when opened.

Unfortunately, most lemonades you can buy in the supermarket are full of colorants, stabilizers and often preservatives. Not only are there many additives but they usually also contain a huge amount of sugar. For example, one litre of orange soft drink contains about 23 cubes of sugar, which works out at 76 grams of sugar. This far exceeds the World Health Organisation's recommendation, which stipulates a maximum daily sugar intake of just 25 grams. So what could be better than trying your hand at making your own lemonade? And we promise you – not only will it be healthier, but it’ll be a lot tastier too!

When you think of making lemonade, the first thing that probably comes to mind is all sorts of citrus fruits like limes, lemons, and oranges. These are still a classic for any lemonade. However, we need not stop there. Perhaps you are particularly fond of berries, or you adore fruits with stones or pips? Well, each taste can be served because almost any fruit can be used to create your home-made lemonade. The only difference is that some fruit with have to be juiced first, and others puréed in a blender.

Fruit lemonades are already extremely tasty – but you can make them even fancier by using a wide variety of herbs. Whether rosemary, mint or thyme: herbs not only visually enhance the drink, but also add that extra kick. For those of you wondering how on earth vegetables can be incorporated into these delicious drinks, well, the answer is simple: cucumber! Cucumbers are particularly popular and provide extra refreshment.

There are many fruits and vegetables to choose from for your perfect lemonade. The following recipes provide inspiration and can be adapted as desired.

The classic lemonade

• Juice of two to three lemons
• 1 litre water
• Sugar to taste
• Ice cubes
• Fresh lemon balm or mint

Prepare this classic lemonade by simply mixing all the ingredients together. For fresh water, simply use your Liebherr InfinitySpring. The InfinitySpring transforms your refrigerator into a crystal-clear water source that is easy to use and ensures optimum water quality thanks to its integrated filter system. To make the lemonade even more refreshing, we also recommend adding ice cubes directly from your ice maker.

If you prefer your lemonade even fruitier, try the following recipe – freshness guaranteed:

Fruity fresh: strawberry and rhubarb lemonade

• 500 grams of rhubarb
• 250 grams of strawberries
• Agave syrup or honey
• 1 litre water
• Ice cubes
• Fresh mint

Wash the rhubarb and strawberries thoroughly and then chop them. Put the pieces of fruit in a pot together with the mint, pour in a litre of water and then sweeten with agave syrup or honey to taste. Bring the mixture to a boil and then turn the heat off and let it steep for about 15 minutes. Once it has cooled down, purée the contents and then press through a fine sieve. And there you have it. Pop this mixture in your refrigerator and top it up with some sparkling mineral water and ice cubes just before serving.

Whether it's ginger and lime, raspberry and rosemary, lavender, or watermelon and strawberry: there are many possible combinations for your home-made lemonade, and they all offer something special. So just grab any fruit you have hanging around in your refrigerator, try out some new creations, and give yourself and your guests a real treat!