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Citron pressé
Citron pressé: fresh lemon juice, a carafe of cold water and sugar on the side, mixed to your own taste
Order a citron pressé on a Paris terrace in July, or at a café in Nice after the beach, and the waiter brings a tall glass with an inch of freshly squeezed lemon juice, a carafe of iced water, a sugar bowl or a little jug of syrup and a long spoon. You build the drink yourself, as sharp or as sweet as you like, which is half the pleasure; French children learn to drink it with plenty of sugar, grown-ups often with almost none. It is bright, sour and cleansing, nothing like bottled lemonade, and best in the late afternoon heat. The common mistake is stirring granulated sugar straight into cold lemon water: it sinks and never dissolves, so the first sips are sour and the last a sludge. Dissolve the sugar in the juice first, or use a quick syrup. It is ready when the sugar has vanished, the drink tastes balanced to you and the glass is beaded with cold. Unwaxed lemons matter if you add a twist of peel. Chef's tip: pour the water over ice slowly and taste after half the carafe; most people find they need less water than they expect.
- Total time
- 5 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
For the drink
- 3 unwaxed lemonsat room temperature
- 4 tsp caster sugaror 2 tbsp sugar syrup; to taste
- 2 cups chilled still waterserved in a carafe
To serve
- 8 ice cubes (optional)
- 2 strips of lemon peel (optional)
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (2)
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Method
0/3 doneStep 1: Roll the 3 unwaxed lemons on the counter, halve and squeeze them, catching the pips in a sieve. You need about 100 ml of juice.
3 minStep 2: Divide the juice between 2 tall glasses. Serve each with a share of the 4 tsp caster sugar on the side, a long spoon and a carafe of the 2 cups chilled still water.
1 minStep 3: At the table, stir the sugar into the neat lemon juice until it disappears, add 8 ice cubes and 2 strips of lemon peel, then pour in water little by little, tasting until it is as sharp or sweet as you like.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 50 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 13 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does citron pressé take?
- About 5 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of unwaxed lemons?
- Lime, or 2 tbsp bottled lemon juice per lemon (no zest from bottled juice).
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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