Cucumber Lemonade

The heat this summer is turning out to be beyond wrong, especially for a farmer!

Our goal on this farm is to adhere to sustainable practices and yet were imagining watering our pastures so our sheep can continue to graze? Something is wrong with that plan! We’re not really considering watering the pastures but I’d be lying if I said the thought hadn’t crossed our minds.

We'll instead pray for rain and do everything we can to extend the grazing. Watch out, we might do a rain dance!

In the midst of the heat and the added stress it’s causing we have to keep ourselves hydrated and we’re forced to spend a lot of time in doors. That, coupled with cucumbers coming at me from every direction in my garden were the main reason this recipe for cucumber lemonade from Smitten Kitchen called out to me. I usually like any recipe I try of Deb’s This one sounded so incredibly refreshing ( and it is); it used a bunch of my cucumber abundance and it’s timing was perfect because we were having an Open House for our farm store and it was the perfect refreshment to serve!.

Added bonus, your drinking your a mega dose of vegetables.

Makes just over 1 quart (4 cups). Serves 4 to 6 and up to 8 if you like a lot of fizzy water in yours.

1 pound cucumber(s), peeled or unpeeled, cut into large chunks, plus a few extra thin cucumber slices for garnish
1 cup lemon juice (from about 7 to 8 lemons, although juiciness will vary)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 cups cold water

Run cucumber through a blender or food processor until pureed, then run it for a full extra minute to ensure that it’s as processed as possible. Set a fine-mesh strainer or a regular strainer lined with a couple layers of cheesecloth or a coffee filter over a pitcher and pour cucumber puree through it, stirring to help it move along faster. Discard solids. In the pitcher, you should have about 1 cup cucumber juice.* Add lemon juice and sugar to it, then water. Give it a good stir or shake, and let it sit in the fridge (to get it started chilling) for 15 minutes, after which a couple more stirs or shakes should leave the sugar fully dissolved. Taste lemonade, adding more sugar or water if desired.