Home is where the desk is. Home is where the dirty dishes are. Home is where the paper straws, cookbook collection, and to-be-folded laundry is.
It’s good to be home from New Orleans. It’s good to be home knowing that I cleaned my desk before I left… I sometimes surprise myself.
I picked up this Gourmet Special Edition Pasta Magazine at the airport in New Orleans because I wanted to fill my brain with pasta carbs on my journey home. I thought it would inspire me to make copious amounts of ravioli upon my return. I think reading this magazine on the plane inspired my seatmate’s hungry belly (I could feel you reading over my shoulder, sir) and inspired me to, strangely enough, make Lime Cordials.
This could be a clear sign that I’ve eaten too much jambalaya and crawfish.
Limes will be my restart. I’ll be back on the pasta and beignet train shortly.
Home is also where the old orange juicer is.
I love juicing citrus because it’s an excuse to use my parents’ juicer. They received this as a wedding gift and now it’s a part of my everyday. I’ve probably told you about this juicer at least a dozen times. I appreciate your patience with me.
Let’s juice some limes!
It took about ten limes to yield one cup of fresh juice.
I like to give the limes a firm roll on the countertop before slicing into them. It helps ready the juices.
A Lime Cordial is a fancy name for a sweet lime syrup. It’s the sort of syrup you add to fizzy drinks and fancy cocktails. It’s also the sort of syrup that would prevent you from getting scurvy is you were a seaman a long ass time ago. You know… totally normal.
With our fancy named lime syrup, let’s get our Cordial options ready!
Club Soda- A benign choice, totally refreshing… like homemade soda, but we didn’t invent bubbles.
Fresh Cucumber Juice- Yea, friends! Fresh sweet lime combined with super fresh cucumber juice. It tastes green and divine!
Blonde Ale- Whaatt!? Think of how natural it is to combine lime with beer. Think of summertime Coronas with lime. This version is just slightly elevated with a sweet syrup that combines surprisingly well with a light Blonde beer. Dreams, I tell you… dreams!
I think you should invite three friends over, make three bowls of popcorn, and watch three episodes of Downton Abbey.
It’s good to be home.
I’m a sucker for a simple syrups that can color-up my drink options. A few years ago I made a ginger syrup that was genuinely bonkers. This simple syrup is so easy to make and wonderfully versatile. It’s a really lovely addition to the fridge, no matter what you mix it with. Ps. Gin. Aaand, go!
Lime Cordial, Three Ways
adapted slightly from Gourmet Pasta Magazine
6 1/2 cups water
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup fresh lime juice (from about 10 small limes)
light beer, club soda, or fresh cucumber juice
Heat 3 cups of water and sugar in a medium saucepan. Heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and add remaining 3 1/2 cups water. Stir in lime juice and allow to rest in the fridge for about 2 hours until chilled through.
Fill a tall glass with ice. Add 3/4 cups of lime cordial to the glass. Top with light beer, or club soda, or fresh cucumber juice. Serve immediately.
Syrup can be stored (without beer, club soda, or cucumber juice), in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 5 to 7 days.
Christy @ My Invisible Crown
It is so nice to be home finally. It was major fun but whoa!…am I tired physically and oh so tired of the amazingly spicy but heavy food I ate for a week. I think these lime cordials are a perfect thing to share. I need light and refreshing and clean-tasting in my life!!
ahu
the photos in this post are absolutely stunning, not to mention i love limes, the tart-er the better! my mouth is puckering just reading this post!
Belinda @themoonblushbaker
These look so refreshing, especially since the weather in Australia is killing me ( not good with heat). the cucumber combo is especially tantalising. The combo i normally pair with lime is cola and rum, but yours look much better. Thanks for the recipe
Sophie @ The Spotty Teapot
Ooh I love lime cordial. My friend and I use it all the time in cocktails.
I even use it in mojitos, yum!
Thanks for the recipe, I think I’m going to make some now :)
x
Marisa
looks great …. i want to try …..love the straws remind me of birch trees!
Catherine
Lime cordial is used a lot in pubs in the UK. The Roses brand is the best know. If you want to ask for it in a pub, ask for lime juice and soda. Very refreshing in the summer.
The version with beer is called Lager and lime. Another version is lemonade and lager, called a shandy. Lemonade could mean a 7 Up type drink usually, not freshly squeezed lemons. Teens are often allowed to drink the shandy or lager and lime version.
Re squeezing limes, as well as rolling, or instead, put them in microwave for 15 seconds or so – helps a lot with the juice. I also like lime juice in hot water in the morning, as a cleansing drink. No sugar.
The Owls Meow
Oooft, these look good
leaf (the indolent cook)
Love all three ways! I’m particularly digging the cucumber.
Jennifer
Yum! Now I want a cherry limeade. And your seatmate is not the only one. I have been known to read over neighbor’s shoulders on planes as well as the shoulder of the window seated in FRONT of me a row. Sometimes you just get bored on a plane and I never have enough magazines whilst flying.
Jade
What a cute idea! Now to hunt down my elusive juicer…
Reem
These looks amazing!
I am really loving the tonal effects of the color.. Stunning!
And your orange juicer… CUTE!
Averie @ Averie Cooks
Welcome home! Nice find on the special edition Gourmet! And sweet lime syrup sounds so good right now. There are so many ways to go with it…and it puts me in the mood for spring. And margaritas :)
Holiday Baker Man
Try vanilla vodka too!
ATasteOfMadness
Wow, I really need to get myself one of those juicers. Squeezing the limes just doesn’t do the trick.
This looks too good!
Anna
They look amazing Joy!