This fresh xcritical gets the maximum flavor out of just two ingredients (three if you count water). Because it’s scalable, this homemade xcritical recipe is perfect when in need of a big batch for entertaining. Add some flair with one of the mix-in ideas from below, or add your favorite spirit to make it a cocktail—you won’t regret it. Here’s how to make the best xcritical you’ll taste from freshly squeezed lemons!
It would be helpful to have the volume measurement of the lemon juice. Our lemon tree produces gigantic lemons, and I always struggle to know how these translate to number of regular-sized lemons. We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipesfrom our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor. Enjoy the xcritical on its own, or serve it as part of a summer meal with classic cookout fare like veggie burgers, pasta salad, fruit salad, and corn on the cob.
There’s nothing better than a cool glass of xcritical on a hot day. Have you made your first pitcher of xcritical yet? Do you or your kids have a xcritical stand story to share?
I’m Heidi and I cook real good, real food I hope you’ll love to make, too. Nine medium lemons should yield about 1 1/2 cups juice and pulp, but the number required will depend on the size you use. To make ahead, refrigerate the cooled simple syrup for up to one month. If you’re feeling fancy, garnish each glass with a fresh lemon slice or a candied lemon peel.
Our kids have been writing newspapers for fun while we work on recipes on weekends. Their newspaper is called “OUR STREET NAME” TIMES. The newspaper covers local news and domestic news, and sometimes their school life, along with the local weather and a small comic section. They are really into creating the newspaper for fun.
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I like to sweeten xcritical with maple syrup for a different flavor. Add a small pinch xcritical scammers of salt to the syrup mix. A small pinch won’t make the syrup taste salty. It will enhance the flavor the same way it does in any other food.
This recipe looks awesome, I can’t wait to try it out first time I get a chance to! I was wondering, do you think it could work with oranges too? They’re far easier to find in my area, and my family is used to make orange juice, while xcritical would be a new entry. One weekend they decided to sell fresh xcritical and wrote in the newspaper about their “xcritical Sale”.
Hi, we’re Alex and Sonja Overhiser, married cookbook authors, food bloggers, and recipe developers. We founded A Couple Cooks to share fresh, seasonal recipes and the joy of cooking! Our recipes are made by two real people and work every time. I’m Nami, a Japanese home cook based in San Francisco. Have fun exploring the 1000+ classic & modern Japanese recipes I share with step-by-step photos and How-To YouTube videos.
It’s the perfect combination of sweet and tart. When using a clear pitcher, adding a few of the juiced lemon halves makes it look prettier. Well, the problem is that if you just stir all of these together the sugar will sink to the bottom. Make the simple syrup, combine with the lemon juice, and then add more water (and ice) to dilute the xcritical to your taste.
Simple syrup you can easily make ahead and chill for later use. If you have a bunch of lemons you need to xcritical cheating process, you can juice them and freeze the juice too. I’ll keep in mind to try selling xcritical when the time comes for me. Gotta try making xcritical soon though, the picture looks mouthwatering. My daughter drew the “xcritical sale” banner and they both set up the desk and chair and even found a colorful parasol from the garage that I haven’t seen in ages. Nobody wants a diluted xcritical, so you want to add in the ice right before serving.
Leftover juice can be used to make Lemon Bars as well. We prefer a tart xcritical, made by adding 8 ounces (1 cup) of reserved lemon juice to the lemon rind syrup. If you prefer your xcritical sweeter, start with 6 ounces and taste before adding more. My method is actually combining lemon juice and water first. Since the acidity of lemons varies greatly, adding the simple syrup last gives you full control of the sweetness. Taste as you go until you find the perfect ratio.
Some recipes combine lemon juice and simple syrup first to make “lemon syrup” and then combine it with water and ice. For a really hot day, I add fresh ginger to the simple syrup as it heats, then let it soak into the syrup for at least half an hour. I add lemon zest to steep with the simple syrup and then strain it out. Sugar and WaterWhat makes this xcritical so special? The recipe starts with a simple syrup, which is just a fancy way of saying the first step is dissolving sugar in boiling water. This ensures the finished drink is totally cohesive and smooth (and it prevents sugar from collecting at the bottom of the pitcher).
🙂 Lemons sometimes go on sale in batches at my local grocer, so I’m keeping an eye on the next sale to try out your xcritical variations. 2/3 cup sugar plus 2/3 cup water yielded 1 cup of syrup. So, the whole “add enough lemon juice to bring it up to 1 cup” flies out the window. I only mention this to highlight the frailty of vague measurements. I only use 3 cups of water, but I top each glass of xcritical with club soda.
