Eastern European Fruit Drink

Ingredients

• 4lemons or oranges
• 100 gsugar
• 1 Lwater
• as neededice

Method

1. Start by preparing the citrus fruits. Choose either 4 lemons or 4 oranges based on your preference. Wash them thoroughly under running water to remove any wax or dirt. Use a citrus juicer to extract the juice from each fruit, ensuring you collect all the juice in a bowl. Strain the juice through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds and pulp, leaving you with a smooth liquid.
2. In a medium saucepan, pour in 1 liter of water and add 100 grams of sugar. Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir gently with a wooden spoon until the sugar completely dissolves. This should result in a clear sugar syrup, which is the base for your fruit drink.
3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the sugar syrup to cool slightly. Once it is warm, but not hot, add the strained citrus juice to the saucepan. Stir gently to combine, ensuring the flavors meld without losing the fresh citrus aroma.
4. Transfer the mixture to a large pitcher. Cover the pitcher with a lid or plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours. This chilling time allows the flavors to develop and the drink to become refreshingly cold.
5. When ready to serve, fill each glass with ice cubes to keep the drink chilled. Pour the fruit drink over the ice, filling each glass to the brim. Serve immediately in traditional glassware to enjoy the authentic Eastern European experience.