Recipe Roundup: Fresh Limeade for Summer

We have a big bowl of limes sitting on our countertop right now (the result of not paying attention to what you have before buying more at the grocery store), and we're thinking of creating a scene like the one above. Bald, hollowed-out limes for fresh limeade, a great, green alternative to lemonade...

Limeade is nothing more than fresh lime juice and a basic simple syrup, and if you like limes, it's great just like that. But most people can't leave well enough alone and add all kinds of other fruit flavors to the basic lime base.

Sonic and its famous Cherry Limeade has something to do with that.

Here are a bunch of recipes for making limeade—first, the no-frills version, then a few flavored combinations. Add some club soda to make it a fun, fizzy, non-alcoholic cocktail.

Straight-Up Limeade:
• Limeade, from Cooking for Engineers
• Fresh Limeade, from CD Kitchen

Flavored Variations:
• Blackberry Limeade, from 101 Cookbooks
• Cranberry Limeade, from Simply Recipes
• Watermelon and Ginger Limeade, from Food & Wine
• Cherry Limeade, from the Cooking Photographer

(Image: Flickr member quinn.anya, licensed for use under Creative Commons)

Comments (5)

I love limeade. I tend to believe that anything traditionally made with lemons is actually better with limes. I proved this point a few months ago by making lime curd.

posted by Squirrely on June 8th 2009 at 3:20pm
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add the zest and juice of limes in with your sugar cookie recipe.. yum and fresh for summer

posted by elizabo on June 8th 2009 at 4:36pm
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Adore limeade. I believe the traditional Indian recipe for "lime water" includes salt in addition to the sugar.

posted by Rivercat0338 on June 8th 2009 at 4:59pm
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When I was pregnant, I craved two things: fresh salted tomatoes, and cherry limeades. Since salt was forbidden, I had to settle for cherry limeades (with just a teeny pinch of salt in it). I drank one almost every day for four months.

And of course the best use of limes: Gin and Tonic :)

posted by SunnyBlue on June 8th 2009 at 9:15pm
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Limes are my absolute favorite citrus fruit. Your collection of limeade recipes are fabulous.

posted by Lynnylu on June 9th 2009 at 8:57am
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