I read that in some places the local government has either banned or regulated lemonade stands.
They say it has to do with the stands (run by kids of course) being next to or too near commercial vendors who by law had to pay some sort of fee. In some cases they say it’s about health issues.
Because this is a food blog I’m not going to touch the political issues. But I have to say I love the idea of entrepreneurial kids — and lemonade stands are sort of tradition in this country, right?
On the other hand, lemonade at lemonade stands isn’t what it used to be back in the day. I’ve seen way too many where they sell what I think of as fake lemonade made by mixing water with some awful chemical tasting crystals from a cardboard container. Call me fussy, but it’s not a beverage I would drink, so for me, it’s not a government thing and although I love the kids’ grit and spirit, I ban fake lemonade as a matter of taste.
C’mon kiddos! Fresh lemonade from homemade lemon syrup is so easy to make. You can make pitchers-ful and stock it in the fridge for a week. All you have to do is add water or seltzer to some of the syrup and you’ve got some pretty tasty stuff to drink. Or sell.
And if you have any extra syrup leftover you can can use it for splendiferous things like these cookies. In fact, why not sell the cookies too?
Lemonade Cookies
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons lemon syrup
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
1/4 cup lemon syrup
granulated sugar
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cream the butter and sugar at medium speed for 2-3 minutes or until thoroughly blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Mix the flour, baking soda and salt and add to the butter mixture, alternating with 10 tablespoons lemon syrup. Mix in the lemon peel. Drop the batter by the heaping tablespoonful onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for about 9-10 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. While the cookies are still warm, brush them with the remaining 1/4 cup lemon syrup. Sprinkle with sugar. Let the cookies cool.
Makes about 60 cookies
To make Lemon Syrup:
1-1/2 cups water
1-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups lemon juice (6-7 lemons)
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
Combine the water and sugar in a saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Boil the liquid for 5-8 minutes or until thicker and syrupy. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and peel. Refrigerate for at least one hour or until very cold. Strain the mixture into a storage container.
Makes just under 3 cups