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Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Magical food trip where lemons are sweet, vinegar tastes good
Jodi of Tasty Touring received a sample package of “miracle fruit” from Curtis Mozie, aka the Miracle Fruit Man, who grows the synsepalum dulcificum berries in Florida and sells them over the Internet for about $3 each (with a minimum order of 20).
These small berries, which originate from Western Africa and are about the size of a small grape, contain a protein called miraculin, which alters your taste buds so that acidic and sour foods taste sweet and sweet foods taste even sweeter.
Jodi certainly isn’t the first person to host one of these food tripping parties, but if you’ve never experienced the wacky way it alters common foods, it’s worth getting your friends together to try it.
Radishes were as mild as romaine lettuce, tomatoes reminded me of squishy strawberries. Brussels sprouts and broccoli just tasted like enhanced versions of themselves. The berry didn’t make everything taste better: unsweetened chocolate tasted like mud and garlic tasted like garlic. Guiness with a little bit of lemon juice is supposed to taste like a chocolate shake, but I prefer my stouts without an altered set of taste buds.
However, tonic water, which has been one of my favorite beverages since I was a kid drinking non-alcoholic versions of my mom’s favorite drink, tasted as sweet as it has always tasted in my head.
Those hip kids over at the New York Times made this video to go with a story last year:
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Get out your paper cups on May 3 for Lemonade Day
Updated with winning recipes, below.
Now that it’s officially hot, you’ll probably be seeing a lot more lemonade stands in your neighborhood. And who among us, either in childhood or with our own children, hasn’t set up a little stand and carefully poured cups of the sweet nectar for the handful of relatives and neighbors kind enough to stop?
On Sunday, May 3, you’ll probably see a lot more lemonade stands around town. It’s Lemonade Day, a citywide event that encourages kids the learn the ins and outs of entrepreneurship, even if it’s just for a day. The best part? Kids get to keep the money.
According to the Web site, businesskids can get a book that covers budgeting, securing investors, picking a location, marketing and providing good customer service. As a bonus, the City of Austin has offered any park, library or fire station as a location for the stands.
Participating families (kids are supposed to get an adult to work with them) can register here.
The weekend before Lemonade Day (May 3), judges, including Michael Barnes of Austin360’s Out and About, were tasked to select the best lemonade from kid contestants. Here are the winners and their recipes:
Kaitlyn McWilliams’ Pink Twinkle-ade
Kaitlyn, a fourth-grader at Kocurek Elementary School, won first place.
3 organic fresh-squeezed lemons 1 can (12 oz.) Hill Country Fare frozen pink lemonade 4 cups water 12 oz. ginger ale 14 oz. Hill Country Fare cranberry juice cocktail
Mix all ingredients. Add ginger ale just before serving. Garnish with lemon rings.
Sarita Lozano-Sanchez’s Citrus Delight Lemonade
Sarita, a sixth-grader at Fulmore Middle School’s Magnet Program, won second place.
9 cups water 1 cup Gold’n Natural Turbinado Sugar from natural cane 1/3 cup fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice 1 cup fresh-squeezed tangelo juice 1/2 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice 1/2 cup fresh-squeezed key lime juice
Boil water with sugar for approximately 5 minutes or until sugar is dissolved; stir while boiling. Set aside until it reaches room temperature. In large pitcher, add 8 cups of the sugar water. Add all juices one at the time in the same pitcher as the sugar water. Stir vigorously. Add ice and enjoy.
Max Messina’s Italian Lemonade
Max, a third-grader at Sri Atmananda Memorial School, won third place.
2 cups sugar 1 cup water 1 bunch basil 2 cups fresh-squeezed lemon juice 2 cups sparkling water (or to taste)
Heat sugar, water and basil on stovetop until sugar is dissolved (about 5 minutes). Strain to remove basil. Cool. Combine in pitcher with juice and sparkling water. Serve over ice.
Rohit Srinivasan’s Super Energetic Lemonade
Rohit, a third-grader at Bridge Point Elementary School, won the special nutritional award.
5 apples (peeled) 2 strawberries 2 cups watermelon 4 oz. fresh-squeezed lemon juice 4 tablespoons honey 8 tablespoons agave nectar 1/4 teaspoon salt 8 oz. Perrier mineral water or club soda 16 oz. water Chopped mint
Bring water to boil and dissolve nectar and honey. Cool sweetened water to room temperature. Puree apples, strawberries and watermelon in blender. Squeeze lemons to make lemon juice. Mix sweetened water, pureed fruit and lemon juice. Add salt and chopped mint. Refrigerate juice mixture. Mix in Perrier or club soda 5 minutes before serving.
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