Turkish Green Apple Lemonade

Green Apple Lemonade, as served in the bustling cafés of Istanbul’s most fashionable neighborhoods, is an elixir that captures nature’s very life force.  Cold tumblers of fresh lemonade topped with a boisterous boost of freshly extracted tart green apple juice gives new meaning to Turkish delight. (Ask Çevdet, owner of the wonderful Galata Flats Hotel  in Karaköy — he’ll steer you to the best spots.)

The magic only lasts for the few minutes after you juice the apples.  A good fruit and vegetable juicer is essential. A good electric citrus juicer always helps too. Freshly made lemonade is far preferable than commercial; but bottle apple juice is unforgivable. 

The fresh green apple juice,  capped with celadon-hued foam, is boisterously alive.  But oxidation sets in almost immediately, reducing the loveliness of the drink in both appearance and taste.  So after you prepare the lemonade, have your juicer and fresh green apples at the ready so you can whip up this Turkish Green Apple Lemonade recipe to order. 

The first sip will make you feel as pampered as a Sultan lounging in the Topkapi Palace.

TURKISH GREEN APPLE LEMONADE
Recipe

1 c. sugar
1 c. fresh lemon juice (about 8 lemons)
water
6 green apples

In a small sauce pan combine 1 c. sugar with 1/2 c. water. Bring to a boil. Stir to make sure all the sugar is dissolved. Take off the heat and let cool.

Juice the lemons to make 1 c. juice.  Add to 8 cups (1 quart) of cold water.  Add 1/2 c. of the sugar syrup.  Taste; it will be tart.  Add more syrup to taste. Not too sweet!

Fill tall serving glasses with ice. Add lemonade to fill glasses halfway.

Slice the apples in half, juice them and immeidately pour the apple juice and apple froth on top of the lemonade to fill the glass. Do not stir. There will be strata of foam, green juice an yellow lemonade. 

Garnish with lemon balm, mint, apple slices, lemon wedges. Whatever. Don’t dilly dally, serve immediately.

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Bonus photos of a Turkish fruit plate and a ginormous chocolate meringue.

Want more mocktail recipes? Try SpecD’s Ginger Ale, Rosemary Mint Cordial and Sassafras Root Beer.