calamondin-ade

A few months ago I moved off of Sanibel and into a dream. I feel so blessed. Every day I am exploring the house and the beautiful property. It's an old home built in 1925. Finding something old with loads of character on the Gulf Coast of South Florida was not easy, but we did it! Nesting has been so much fun! And I'm also getting to know the grounds that someone so lovingly created many years ago...from the old grape arbor to the beautiful garden paths to the side lawn that leads to the water. We've named the side of the property the orchard because of the old fruit trees. I guess it is fitting that an old property would have old trees. I was hoping the lush sweet smelling fruit were tangerines. After one bite there was no doubt that it was absolutely not a tangerine! It was my mom and dad who identified the fruit immediately when they were visiting...calamondin!

 

 

What on Earth is a calamondin...?

 

Well I might not know what they are, but I knew exactly what I was going to do with them!

 

Over the past few years I've been doing my best when life kept handing me lemons. Now it's handing me calamondins so I'm making calamondin-ade!

 

I dug out my old glass juicer and strained out the pulp and seeds...

 

...added some ice...

 

...and a lot of sugar!



 

Then I cleaned a few cute sections...

 

...topped off the pitcher with ice water...

 

...and calamondinade was born!

YUM!

 

A sprig of mint was the perfect way...

 

to spruce up my refreshing treat.

 

When life gets tough you might get handed lemons or calamondins or something else altogether. But when it does, do your best to make the most of it. It is easier said than done and I know that all too well. Maybe we can all encourage each other through the good times and the bad. I wish I could share my pitcher of calamondinade but this is the next best thing. Sending out hugs to anyone who needs one!

 

 

Thanks for visiting...