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Lemonade

From "Doctor, what shall I eat?" (1880).

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A historical recipe

"Doctor, what shall I eat?", by Ch. (Charles) Gatchell (1880).

United States

Known as an American recipe, with similar versions prepared across other nations.

From an old book: a historical recipe, not current advice. Its methods, additives and storage may be unsafe by today's standards.

Ingredients 2 ingredients

  1. a tablespoonful of sugar
  2. one lemon

Possible health benefits

General information, not medical advice.

  1. Lemon High in vitamin C · Source of protein

    High in vitamin C · 53 mg per 100 g, 66% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of blood vessels.
    • Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of bones.
    • Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of cartilage.
    11 more authorised claims
    • Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of gums.
    • Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin.
    • Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of teeth.
    • Vitamin C contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
    • Vitamin C contributes to normal functioning of the nervous system.
    • Vitamin C contributes to normal psychological function.
    • Vitamin C contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
    • Vitamin C contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.
    • Vitamin C contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
    • Vitamin C contributes to the regeneration of the reduced form of vitamin E.
    • Vitamin C increases iron absorption.

    Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble nutrient found in some foods. In the body, it acts as an antioxidant, helping to protect cells from the damage caused by free radicals. NIH fact sheet

    Source of protein · 1.1 g per 100 g, 15% of the energy from protein

    • Protein contributes to a growth in muscle mass.
    • Protein contributes to the maintenance of muscle mass.
    • Protein contributes to the maintenance of normal bones.

    Nutrients per 100 g of “Lemons, raw, without peel”, USDA FoodData Central.

Claims: EU Register of health claims (Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, © European Union, CC BY 4.0), shown only where the ingredient meets the claim's conditions (Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006). Nutrients: USDA FoodData Central (CC0). Facts: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (public domain).

Cook safely

Keep children and pets away from the hob and the oven, and keep oven gloves and a lid within reach.

  • Boiling water and steam. Turn pan handles inward, away from the edge of the hob. Lift lids away from you, and pour hot water away from your body: steam burns too.
  • Sharp knives. Cut on a board that doesn't slip (a damp cloth under it helps), and curl the fingers of the hand that holds the food.

Method

  1. Take two lemons, wipe clean and peel very thin* being careful to cut off none of the pith, or white.
  2. Now cut off all the pith, and throw it away.
  3. Cut the lemons into thin slices, take out all the seeds, put the slices and the rind of one lemon into a pitcher, add a tablespoonful of sugar, pour onto these a pint and a half of boiling water;
  4. cover and stand on the ice to cool.
  5. When cold, strain into another pitcher and it is ready for use.
  6. Although this involves more time and attention than is usually given to the making of lemonade, yet the superior quality obtained well repays the extra trouble.

Plating

Cookware for this recipe

  • Saucepan
  • Chef's knife
  • Vegetable peeler
  • Sieve
Source not stated by archive.org
Credit

From "Doctor, what shall I eat?" (1880), printed page 81, digitised by the Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/63831160R.nlm.nih.gov

What was changed: Read by machine from the book's scanned text into ingredients and method. The title's capitals were tidied; spelling and scanning errors are left as they are.