This article appeared in the Summer 2008 issue of Texoma Living!.
In the U.K. they use carbonated water to mix their lemonades, while in Australia and New Zealand lemonade refers to a beverage that is lemon-flavored, colorless and transparent—like Sprite. Lemonade in Finland (“limonade” or “limu”) translates into any carbonated soft drink, and Brazilians go over the top with a blended shake made from un-peeled lemons, ice, cold water, sugar and sometimes cream. Here in our own Texoma backyard, we will squeeze, twist, crush, strain, and otherwise manhandle fruits of all sorts to concoct our own family favorites to help quench a summer’s thirst. On one recent afternoon the food editors of Texoma Living! gathered in Sherman at Lasting Images Photography’s studios to create and photograph a menu of cool summer drinks. Our own chief mixologist, Barbara Akin of Commer Beverage, a nationally-known Dallas-based beverage consulting firm, arrived with two giant coolers-on-wheels overflowing with fresh fruits. Over the next few hours she would disappear into the preparation room, then reappear in the studio with another colorful creation. In the end, she had mixed and Anne-Marie Shumate had photographed six wonderful treats to satiate one’s summer thirst.