9. Lemon and Lime in the Summertime

We're coming up on the end of summer. This fact may have blindsided you as it did me this past week, when the temperature suddenly dropped and I found myself wearing a sweater for the first time since spring. Luckily the forecast is telling me that temps are back up. Maybe I should say “not so lucky” since my car does currently have an unusual feature of losing the AC after every big bump and I drive on bumpy roads most every day. What’s important is that I have a last opportunity to make some summer favorites before autumn truly sets in. 

While there are many fantastic parts about the summer months, one of my favorite parts of summer, especially this past summer, has been citrus. Citrus is just perfect for the summer. It brings a brightness to dishes through its acidity that  matches summer meals. Acidity works well in the hot summer months - citrus and tomatoes too. Tomatoes are in full season and bringing them into a summer salad is bright and fun. 

Brightness is the reason why citrus fruits are so appealing in this season. Summer days are bright and that is the best way to describe citrus. There are so many great ways to incorporate citrus into meals, limes go great as a topping on tacos, lemons add punch in salad dressings. But no matter how you use them, lemons and limes and other forms of citrus bring a tanginess that shakes things up and wakes up the taste buds. That feeling is what I look forward to in a citrus dish. 

All that being said, let me introduce you to THE drink of the summer. I was first introduced to them under the name of Thunderbolts. The drink is essentially lemonade and espresso over ice, similar to an iced americano with lemonade instead of water.

My go to with this drink is always the San Pellegrino sparkling lemonade. I pour that into a cup of ice and add an espresso shot. Disclaimer here - while I truly love this drink and will tout its greatness here, it has had poor reviews among friends and family - most of whom could not or would not tolerate it. So let’s say it is an acquired taste. 

What I ultimately love about this drink is how customizable it is - perfect way to break up a long monotonous day working in the deli. My go to is almost always San Pellegrino sparkling lemonade, but of course the deli had a variety of flavors: lemon, orange, blood orange, pomegranate and grapefruit. While I have tried them all and they each have their unique flavor, the appealing factor is always the citrus element. Carbonation is not a requirement in this drink, but it is something that I prefer.

 I always make this drink with espresso. I worked at a place with an espresso machine which is how that became my favorite, but I think there are alternatives that would also work well. As always, when it comes to espresso alternatives, Aeropress is as close as you will get without buying an actual espresso machine. The other thing I think might work is cold brew. If you make cold brew, you are probably already going to water it down, so just switch the water with your lemonade of choice.

The result of your efforts is a fantastic summertime coffee drink. This has no dairy which is a plus for me in the summer. On a hot summer day a glass of milk is not what I want to be drinking. In contrast, this drink is light and refreshing, just what I need on a summer day to keep me moving through the sluggish heat.