Lemonade is more than just a sugary drink that isn’t worth the calories— it’s the name of Beyoncé’s album, which is currently leading with nine Grammy nominations.
Beyoncé titled her album “Lemonade” because the drink has brought women in the South together for centuries, and her album touches on the historic struggles of black women in America. But, like lemonade, the album ends on a sweet note, celebrating the strength of women to overcome the obstacles.
But Beyoncé doesn’t just make lemonade; specifically, she makes her grandma, Agnéz Deréon’s, recipe:
“Take one pint of water, add half pound of sugar. The juice of eight lemons, the zest of half lemon. Pour the water from one jug, then to the other several times. Strain through a clean napkin.”
But what does Beyoncé’s lemonade actually taste like? I halved this recipe and made it with my grandma (because it is, after all, Beyoncé’s grandma’s recipe) and found out. After squeezing out the juice, I had to zest the lemon, and then pour the mixture between two pitchers. The swishing of the juice was calming, and even though the procedure was slow, it was perfect for a cold, snowy day in the Northeast.
Each step had to be carefully completed in order for the taste to come out just right. The zest gives the lemonade flavor a uniquely tart taste, which is somehow also very sweet at the same time from the half pound of sugar (the Beyhive probably needed the extra sweetness to overcome the salty outrage associated with the album).
What made this experience even sweeter was preparing it with my grandma—just like Queen B would’ve. So, the next time you have nothing to do on a boring winter night or on a hot summer day, making Grandma Agnéz’s lemonade is definitely the way to go.