Heard often in the culinary world of late are phrases such as “This will take your cooking to a whole new level” and “Kick it up a notch”. To my understanding, these phrases perhaps suggest that simple isn’t good. Simple is unsophisticated and needs some help going to new levels and getting kicked up notches. I beg to differ. Simple is good. Fancy is nice from time to time but it doesn’t mean that simple is shameful and not deserving of the spotlight. A fresh picked homegrown tomato still warm from the sunlight is simple and heavenly. A peach the color of the sunset and so juicy that you wear peach stains on your clothes and peach juice on your face and arms, is a gift from God. A simple supper of freshly shelled Southern peas and hot water cornbread is honest and soul-satisfying. All alone, without rich sauces, gravies, exotic ingredients or fancy adornments, these simple dishes are noble and worthy of the utmost culinary praise and attention. New levels and additional notches are not necessary.
Variety is fun and it keeps things interesting. You’ll get no quibble from me about wanting variety in your diet. I like new and different things to from time to time, too. But that shouldn’t keep us from celebrating simple familiar dishes. The simple dishes that we were served from our parents and grandparent’s kitchens, are the very dishes that carry wonderful memories and bind generations.
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Rosemary Peach Lemonade
There’s not a thing wrong with plain ol’ fresh squeezed lemonade. For Southerners, it rates right up there with Southern Sweet Tea. Lord knows, we drink it by the gallons. You only need three ingredients: lemon, sugar and water. It’s beautiful, simple and deserves respect.
The amount of time that we can get fresh peaches in central Florida that don’t come from halfway around the world, it relatively short. And, once you get them, you’ve got to use. They don’t last long. We eat as many as we can and then I look for ways to use them in beverages and dishes.
A lot of Peach Lemonade recipes use canned peach nectar as an ingredient. When you have something as luscious as juicy fresh peaches, canned peach nectar is inferior. Save the peach nectar for the dead of winter when fresh peaches are only found in our dreams.
I steeped peaches and rosemary in simple syrup to get a deeper infusion of flavor. And just look at that gorgeous color. You can’t get that from a canned product.
Don’t be thrown off by rosemary. It doesn’t over power the flavor of the peaches and lemons. It stays in the background and just dances lightly on your tongue.
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 to 3 ripe medium peaches, pitted and sliced
6 inch twig fresh rosemary
1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 8 medium-sized lemons)
1 lemon and 1 peach, thinly sliced
Add sugar, water and peaches to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and remove from heat immediately. Add rosemary. Cover and steep for 15 minutes.
Remove rosemary and purée peach mixture. Strain into a pitcher. Add lemon juice and stir.
Add thinly sliced lemon and peach to pitcher. Serve over lots of ice.
You might also enjoy:
Rosemary Peach Lemonade
Ingredients
- Rosemary Peach Lemonade
- There’s not a thing wrong with plain ol’ fresh squeezed lemonade. For Southerners it rates right up there with Southern Sweet Tea. Lord knows, we drink it by the gallons. You only need three ingredients: lemon, sugar and water. It’s beautiful, simple and deserves respect.
- The amount of time that we can get fresh peaches in central Florida that don’t come from halfway around the world it relatively short. And, once you get them, you’ve got to use. They don’t last long. We eat as many as we can and then I look for ways to use them in beverages and dishes.
- A lot of Peach Lemonade recipes use canned peach nectar as an ingredient. When you have something as luscious as juicy fresh peaches canned peach nectar is inferior. Save the peach nectar for the dead of winter when fresh peaches are only found in our dreams.
- I steeped peaches and rosemary in simple syrup to get a deeper infusion of flavor. And just look at that gorgeous color. You can’t get that from a canned product.
- Don’t be thrown off by rosemary. It doesn’t over power the flavor of the peaches and lemons. It stays in the background and just dances lightly on your tongue.
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 to 3 ripe medium peaches pitted and sliced
- 6 inch twig fresh rosemary
- 1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice about 8 medium-sized lemons
- 1 lemon and 1 peach thinly sliced
Instructions
- Add sugar, water and peaches to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and remove from heat immediately. Add rosemary. Cover and steep for 15 minutes.
- Remove rosemary and purée peach mixture. Strain into a pitcher. Add lemon juice and stir.
- Add thinly sliced lemon and peach to pitcher. Serve over lots of ice.
Maureen @ Orgasmic Chef says
It’s been quite a while since I was south of the Mason-Dixon line but I still remember learning to drink “sweetea”. It was never two words in Georgia or Tennessee when I was there. 🙂
I love your lemonade. Imagine my shock at seeing it on the menu in Australia only to find it was Sprite.
Jackie Garvin says
Maureen,
So Sprite is lemonade in Oz? I never knew that. Thanks for the lesson. 🙂
Jean says
Morning Jackie….Wish I had some of that lemonade now. I have been to Oz and they do quite differently from us but never did order lemonade while I was there. Nothing any better than a peach picked from your own tree that has been allowed to ripen. Fuzz and all!
Jackie Garvin says
When you think about it, calling it lemonade sort of makes sense when you look at orangeade. 🙂
Michele says
Love this Jackie! Simply elegant! Some folks think simple peach lemonade is making lemonade from frozen concentrate and throwing in some canned (or maybe even frozen) peaches. I KNOW you are not in that number! IMHO you have indeed taken Peach Lemonade to “a whole new level” and here’s why:
“I steeped peaches and rosemary in simple syrup to get a deeper infusion of flavor. And just look at that gorgeous color. You can’t get that from a canned product.
Don’t be thrown off by rosemary. It doesn’t over power the flavor of the peaches and lemons. It stays in the background and just dances lightly on your tongue.”
Do you realize how many cooks out there would have no earthly idea what you’re talking about?
I’m totally with you, dear Jackie, in loving and appreciating simplicity 🙂
“In cooking, as in the arts, simplicity is a sign of perfection.”
~ Curnonsky
I’m quite sure that there are those out there (especially the media-hungry types) who think they have to make it complicated and bizarre and “sophisticated” to get our attention. Alas.
LOVE you precious friend and soul sistah! xoxoxoxo
Jackie Garvin says
Michele,
I’m on a campaign to celebrate the simplicity of good, honest food. Let’s celebrate it and not shun it or disrespect it.
I’m always inspired by your comments, sweet Michele! 🙂
Philip says
This looks delicious! Its an unusually hot day here, and I want to make this right away! Confused a little though:
Did you mean to write “1 cup lemonade”, or “1 cup lemon juice” ?
If its “lemonade”, do you really want to add that cup of sugar?
If its “lemon juice” shouldn’t I be adding more water?
Thanks for the help!
Jackie Garvin says
Philip,
Thanks for catching my mistake! I meant to type “1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice”. I always make my lemonade with a 1:1:1 ratio of water, sugar and lemon juice. By the time you the prepared lemonade over lots of ice, it comes out just right. If you don’t like a lot of ice in your glass, you may want to increase the amount of water just a tad. For this particular recipe, you’ll get a good bit of juice from the peaches so I wouldn’t add more water. Just taste it and make it to your liking.
I hope you enjoy, Philip! 🙂
Michelle says
Summer in a pitcher? YES PLEASE. That looks fantastic! Now you’ve got me thinking of other possible lemonade fruit herbal concoctions.(Strawberry basil lemonade maybe?)
Jackie Garvin says
Michelle,
I’ve never had strawberry basil lemonade but strawberry basil is a perfect pairing. It would be fantastic! 🙂
Wendy says
What variety of peaches did you use? I would imagion you would get different juice colours from a Black Boy Peach than a Golden Queen?
Here in NZ we get a good run of fresh peaches, generally from Late december until early march depending on the season and variety.
Could you use Necatrines or Peacharines?
The concept of the American Iced Tea hasn’t really sparked here but I think this recipe I am going to file away till summer (we are in the start of Winter here so soups and stews are the go at the moment)
Jackie Garvin says
Wendy,
I don’t know the variety of the peach but they are the traditional color. You certainly could use nectarines or peacharines. I hope you give it a try. Thanks for reading! 🙂
nancy baggett says
Love the description of the rosemary dancing around on your tongue–it does! Appetizing pic, too. Nice to find your site.
Jackie Garvin says
Thanks for stopping by, Nancy! I hope you visit again!
Sandra Davis says
Amen sister.
Jackie Garvin says
Thanks, Sandra!
RecipeNewZ (@RecipeNewZ) says
I have not tried a peach lemonade before, but it sounds like a wonderful idea! It definitely looks gorgeous! I saw the photo on Pinterest, and it was so beautiful that I just had to come here to read the recipe! And I love it – so simple! And love your site :-).
Now that I’m here, I would like to invite you to share your recipes on a new photo based recipe sharing site that launched in May. The idea is simple: all recipe photographs are published within minutes of submission. And, of course, the images link back to the author’s site. It’s called RecipeNewZ (with Z) – http://recipenewz.com
Jackie Garvin says
RecipeNewZ,
Thanks so much for the invitation! I submitted three images and will come back tomorrow to submit three more. I’ve already put a badge on my blog! I wish you the best of luck with your blog. Your business model is unique: Let the viewers decide what they like!
eileen says
I wholeheartedly agree that it’s often the simple pleasures that are the best. Love this recipe.
Jackie Garvin says
Thank you, Eileen!