Candied Rind Lemonade Syrup

One of my most favorite beverages is lemonade. Organic. Lemon. Sugar. Water. That's how I like it! I hate buying lemonade and it tastes like lemon scented toilet cleaner smells. ECK!!!! Tonight, I made my hubby some candied rind lemonade. It's super easy and possibly the best tasting lemonade EVER! Don't worry about the white of the lemon rind making the syrup bitter. Cooking it down with mellow the bitterness and give an added element of flavor with a carmelized, deep, lemon undertone to contrast the acidity of the fresh citrus and sweetness of the sugar.

The best thing about summer, would be the abundance of fresh produce, fruits and veg, that are widely available and bursting with flavor during their natural season. I love lemonade anytime and it's a bummer when my FAVORITE season (winter) hits. This recipe is such a life saver in that regard! It's syrup! ...hello... Every glass made is fresh, crisp, and mixed to perfection. I jarred my syrup in an old Thomy Senf jar. Isn't it pretty??? And boy is it- YUM!

To start you will need-
1. 6 large washed lemons
2. 2 cups white sugar
3. zester
4. sauce pan
5. TBS of h2o

First, cut 5 lemons in half.....

Second, squeeze, and strain lemon juice into bowl.

Then cut the remaining lemon into thin slices.

Turn burner on medium low heat and arrange slice neatly in pan. Sprinkle 1 TBS of sugar over the slices to add carmelization. Then add half the lemon juice and reduce.

Since we still want the acidity of the lemons to shine through in our lemonade, we don't want to cook all of the juice. Cooking it, simply removes all acid. Once the mixture has reduced, add the remaining juice and incorporate thoroughly.

to serve-
Combine syrup and water to your liking. (I'm 1 to 4 ratio kinda gal).Then drop a few rinds in a glass with some ice and add your beverage after a quick shake or two. You can also add some VODKA or sparkling white wine for a crisp and delicious adult beverage. Shoot- try coconut milk, a splash of lime and ginger beer and a zest of ginger for a coconut mint fizzy. Get crazy with it... It's all in good taste.

Elway's at The Ritz-Carlton Denver

Typically I end up blogging about the most amazing dining experiences that really leave me with wanting more. This post is no exception. There's a bit of back story I must divulge before I begin my review. I had dined at Elway's Downtown for my birthday. Long story short- bad service- poor food quality, just an overall bummer. I emailed the manager and was enticed into returning to Elway's for a chance at redemption. I took a leap of faith dining last night for my husband's birthday. But thankfully, I have nothing but rave things to say about my most recent dining experience. I'm very pleased to say the least! http://www.elways.com/Downtown/

For appetizers I noshed on west coast Kumamoto Oysters & a California Roll and, my husband indulged in his favorite of all pub foods- Beer Battered Onion Rings.

The west coast oysters were fresh, with a meaty texture, nuttiness in flavor, with a burst of salt water ocean flavor. The Bollinger Special Cuvee Champagne coupled with these mollusks produced great personality. The floral crispness of the Bollinger gave great balance to the nuttiness of the shellfish and the flavors really played on their contrasts.

The Onion Rings were perfection. I prefer my onion cooked and my batter light and crisp. Both accomplished here! The rings were lightly crusted with coarse salt and rosemary, which gave a flavor enhancing boost to the onion. I believe my husband used the phrase "best I ever had". Yes, that good.


The California Roll was fresh and delicious. The use of short grain or Glutonous rice really made a difference in the texture of the sticky rice. One thing that really stood out to me was the roe sprinkled atop the roll. Deluxe flying fish roe with the rubiest of red hues gave a slight crunch and pinch of salt needed to really being the roll together.

For main course entree I ate a 8oz Filet paired with lobster tail and my husband had his favorite- Sea Scallops. For sides, we enjoyed mac n cheese and Porcini Mushrooms.

The lobster tail was one of the best I've ever had. Very dense, fluffy meat that was very succulent and sweet. The filet, prepared medium, had a warm red center and was very tender and had wonderful marbling and a nice crunch to its crust.

The Scallops were tender, sweet, and perfectly luscious. The seared edges gave great contrast to it's soft delicate meat.

The Porcini's were sauteed in garlic with a pinch of parsley. Extremely flavorful and a wonderful accompaniment to the mac n cheese.

The mac n cheese was a decadent play on mom's homemade baked mac n cheese. Rich and wonderfully cheesy with a great crispiness added by the bread crumb topping. Divine!







All in all I think that Elway's has won their redemption and it was well deserved. The managers, Thomas and Samantha made every effort to ensure our dining experience was nothing less than exceptional. And it truly was. Elway's is known in Colorado for good great steaks. Maybe the BEST steaks. And I think they proved themselves with a spot on performance. CHEERS!