When the Farmer's Hand You Eureka Lemons...

The Market Inspiration
As far as lemons go, Meyer Lemons get all the big chef notoriety, but it is Eureka Lemons that have that perfect tart taste you want when making homemade lemonade.
When I was looking for recipes for Pink Lemonade (a favorite of my husband), I couldn't find any truly natural dye that would give the strong pink color I was looking for, that didn't also strongly alter the flavor. The answer to my dilemma was, ironically, sitting right next to the Eureka Lemons in the Farmer's Market stall: Blood Oranges. They're the perfect natural dye to give the pink lemonade its hue while also adding natural sweetness that still tastes like lemonade but allows you to add less sugar than you normally would.
To get the best and boldest flavor for your lemonade, keep the lemon pulp and add some lemon zest then puree the mixture before chilling. With the Easter Holiday and spring parties on the near horizon, this lemonade is the ideal natural beverage to serve to your friends and family.

The Recipe
2/3 cup Blood Orange juice and pulp; approx 3 oranges
Zest of 4 Large Eureka Lemons
4 cups Eureka Lemon juice and pulp; approx 7 large lemons
1 1/3 cups Sugar
6-8 cups Water

In a pot on the stove over medium, heat the citrus juices, zest, and pulp together with the sugar. Simmer gently for 7-10 minutes. Let the mixture cool slightly before blending with an immersion stick blender until smooth. Add in 6 cups of the water and taste. Add additional water as needed, so it is not too strong. Chill for at least four hours or until cold before serving. This is a great drink to make the day before you plan to serve it so it can chill overnight.

The Pairing
Spring means the start of baseball season, and while not everyone enjoys America's Pastime, anyone can have fun watching some of the classic baseball movies released over the years. One of the quirkiest, 1950's It Happens Every Spring, stars Ray Milland as a baseball obsessed college professor who invents a substance that repels wood. Of course, the good professor uses this substance to become the best pitcher in the major leagues, all the while keeping his exploits on the diamond secret from his colleagues on the college faculty that don't approve of his love of baseball. It's a funny and charming movie that has just enough baseball, but not too much, so anyone can enjoy it. -Z