We know that lemons first grew in India* (probably Assam) but as it progressed from Assam and northern Myanmar to China, across Persia and the Arab world to the Mediterranean, the lemon adapted to it’s surroundings. The citron (similar to a lemon but larger, with a very thick rind and almost no pulp or juice) was known by the ancient Jews before the time of Christ and could have been taken to the Mediterranean by them. Romans grew lemons and there are images of citrus fruits from Roman mosaics in Carthage and frescoes in Pompeii that just have to be oranges and lemons.

The first time there was any record of a lemon tree was in the early tenth-century Arabic work of al-Rumi.  As far as the lemonade goes, Egyptians made a drink called kashkab, made with fermented barley and mint, rue, black pepper and citron leaf and it seems that our lemonade originated there – in medieval Egypt.  The trade in lemon juice was brisk by early 1100 and a Jewish community in Cairo bottled lemon juice and sugar (called qatarmizat) that they drank and exported.

Ingredients

• 3 large unwashed lemons
• 75 g caster sugar
• 1 liter water, still or sparkling, chilled
• Sprigs of mint

Method

• Cut the lemons into large chunks and place in your food processor with a third of the sugar and enough water to cover it;
• Process until it is a mush and then strain through a sieve;
• Return all the solid bits to the food processor with another third of the sugar and water and go through the same process again;
• Repeat the process once more;
• Check and correct the sweetness;
• Chill and serve with mint and fill into glasses.

^ See main article.

Tip – remove the pips as they tend to be bitter