Mario's can turn Italian Ice doubters around with one spoonful. [Photographs: Nick Kindelsperger] Mario's Lemonade 1068 W. Taylor Street, Chicago IL 60607 (map); 312-829-0672 The Short Order: Fruit-laden lemonade, part slushy and a perfect antidote to a hot day. Want Fries with That? If you need a meal, check out Al's #1 Beef nextdoor and come here for dessert. Want Ketchup? Neither place will have that red stuff. For the past month or so I've been questioned, repeatedly, about when I'm going to write about Mario's Lemonade. The Chicago institution has been serving seatless customers for about sixty years. I had always planned to go but last weekend Daniel Zemans politely reminded me I better hurry. It closes in mid-September,...
Continue reading »
A few summers ago, I started making my own lemonade and have never looked back. In the warmer months, I keep a large pitcher in the fridge and add to it whenever it gets low. Sometimes I add strawberries or mint, other times bourbon. Homemade lemonade is easy and inexpensive, and it tastes about a million times better than any store-bought version I've ever had. Recently, while shopping at Crate & Barrel, I noticed a new line of lemonade mixes available in three varieties: strawberry, ginger peach, and jalapeño ($5.95 each). I was curious—they looked pretty good. The jalapeño version especially piqued my interest, as I'd never seen anything like it in the supermarket, where lemonade mixes are generally...
Continue reading »
Umami Mart's Happy Hour column offers up a two-part primer on simple syrups. In this week's installment, it explores fruit-infused simple syrups and offers several recipes, including this "spring-beckoning" cocktail: If you're as ready for spring as I am, you'll enjoy this next recipe which incorporates the Meyer lemon syrup and sparkling sake for an amazingly refreshing drink I call a Sparkling Sake Lemonade. Even if you don't booze it up, the rambutan or Meyer lemon syrups would be great just mixed with a glass of seltzer. [via David Lebovitz]...
Continue reading »
In the last throes of summer, a man's attention turns to lemonade. Lemonade is considered a summer drink, though I don't understand why. Lemons are grown year-round, according to the USDA. I drink lemonade all year. It's incredibly refreshing and goes with anything from hamburgers to pizza to pastas with tomato-based sauces. But I digress. We're here to discuss the results of the Serious Eats Lemonade Taste-Off. I must admit I did this one myself. My officemates were simply too busy working on the site to join me on my lemonade quest. I tasted six lemonades, all plucked from refrigerated cases in two stores, Whole Foods and Fairway. The results?...
Continue reading »
