Refreshing Lime Syrup – Sharbat’e limoo

In a 4-quart saucepan, mix the water and sugar together and bring to a boil, uncovered, over high heat. Stir periodically with a spoon. 2. When the water boils and the sugar dissolves, add the lime juice and zest and cook, uncovered, over medium/low heat for 20 minutes or until light, lime-infused syrup has formed. 3. Cool and store in a glass jar until ready to use.

This syrup is very refreshing mixed with water in a ratio of 3 parts water to one part syrup, along with some ice cubes to keep it chilled. Garnish with slices of lime or star fruit.

This is by far my children’s favorite! I have to pretend I don’t have any syrup left—otherwise they can’t stop visiting the bathroom! It is so refreshing in the summertime. In fact, every summer the kids set up a Persian lemonade stand and sell Sharbat’e Limoo…it is the most popular stand on the whole block!

You are what you eat

Lime versus lemon…that is the question. Back at home (Venezuela), we do not have any lemons; we only have limes. In fact, my parents had a beautiful lime tree in our backyard. I would collect the limes and go door-to-door selling them to our neighbors to make a little pocket money for myself (mind you, I was 10!) The funniest thing is that almost everyone had a lime tree in his or her own backyard! So, as you can imagine, I prefer using limes instead of lemons. Not only because limes gave me my first few coins to spend, but mostly because I love their intense sour taste. Did you know that limes are responsible for nicknaming sailors? At the time when the British navy ruled the seas, the sailors ate limes to keep scurvy at bay and became known as the “limeys”! Later on it was discovered that limes are rich in Vitamin C…a lime a day keeps scurvy away, aye, aye, matey!