BRADBURY'S OLD FASHIONED LEMONADE

This recipe was given to me by my Mother-in-Law Shirley & it was given to her in about 1950 by the Grandmother of a family friend.  Therefore I would imagine this recipe must date back to to the early 1900's.  It's really easy to make & yields a large amount of concentrate so have some sterilised bottles ready to decant it.  It may sound like a lot of sugar but you only need a very small amount for each glass.  I just dilute it with cold water but you could use sparkling water for a fizzy lemonade, a much better alternative to canned pop & it tastes great!

INGREDIENTS
Sugar Syrup:
4lbs White Sugar
3 Pints Water

3 Lemons

3 Oranges

1oz Citric Acid

1oz Tartaric Acid

1oz / A Pinch of Epsom Salts 

Dilution: 2 tablespoons to a glass of water

Note:

This is the original recipe but I tend to leave out the Epsom Salts.  Epsom salts have a laxative effect and I think they may have been added to the lemonade to make an old fashioned 'tonic' or 'liver cleanse'.

Try and use organic unwaxed fruit and I also tend to use only lemons and if the fruit is quite small increase the quantity.  Tartaric acid and Citric acid can be bought from your Chemist / Pharmacy.

METHOD

Peel the rind of the fruit (with a vegetable peeler) and place into a large bowl or similar vessel.  Squeeze the juice of all the fruit and add to the rind. Don't worry about pips etc. as the mixture will be strained later.  Add the Citric and Tartaric Acid (& Epsom Salts, optional).

Place the sugar and water into a large pan and bring to the boil slowly, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.  Leave to cool slightly then pour the syrup onto the fruit mixture.  Cover and leave to stand for a few hours, preferably overnight.  Pass the mixture through a fine sieve and bottle.

Dilute the concentrate to taste with either still or sparkling water.