Here's What Makes Beyoncé's Grandmother's Lemonade Recipe So Good
During the summer months, there are very few things that are as refreshing as a cup of lemonade. This over 1,000-year-old citrusy drink, typically associated as an all-American beverage, is the go-to drink for many people and entrepreneurial children across the United States, according to the Herald Weekly. Although it's seen as a primarily American beverage, lemonade has origins that trace back to the Far East (via The Wall Street Journal). The first trace of lemons can be found in a 10th-century Arabic book about farming, while the earliest record of actual lemonade can be traced back to medieval Egyptians — Jewish merchants were said to be selling a bottled drink called qatarmizat, which contained sweet lemon juice.
Since its creation, lemonade has only required lemons, water, and sugar. It's simple to make and the recipe doesn't really change, unless you happen to be Beyoncé. Weaved into the epic 2016 visual album, Lemonade, Beyoncé shared her family's secret lemonade recipe and the world was changed for the better.
So, what's the ingredient that makes Beyonce's lemonade so special?
It's the most simple of ingredients and probably one that lemonade drinkers everywhere have overlooked that is Beyoncé's grandmother's secret. Agnéz Deréon would make her lemonade using lemon zest for her famous granddaughter. You would think lemon zest would not have a very big effect on this refreshing beverage, but it does, according to Spoon University. The publication reported that Deréon's recipe is as flawless as the singer. The full recipe calls for one pint of water, half a pound of sugar, eight lemons, zest of half lemon, two jugs, and a clean napkin for straining.
The end result? A sugary and invigorating beverage that lends itself to having a "uniquely tart taste" because of the addition of the lemon zest (via Spoon University). The recipe was everywhere in 2016 upon the release of Beyoncé's album, appearing in publications like Vogue, and then again went viral again as fans reminisced about the album leading up to her Black is King visual album on Disney+. They all began making her lemonade recipe as a way to commemorate one of the few family recipes the singer has ever released (via Yahoo).