Man, it is hot outside today! I dropped my friend Jill off in DC this morning and decided to sit outside at a coffee shop to do a little work and enjoy the city for a while. About a minute after sitting down at my shaded table I was totally and completely schvitzing. “Hmmm… Maybe working from the air-conditioned home office isn’t that bad? Should I go home?”

Seconds later:

Unlocking car.
Cruising across the Roosevelt Bridge.
Opening garage door.
Walking in house.
Ahhh!!

There’s nothing better than a climatized sanctuary offering refuge from a scorcher of a summer’s day. Except for, maybe, lemonade. On days like this, I usually find myself craving that particular citrus beverage. Something about it is so refreshing.

Here a few lemonade recipes particularly worth the effort:

Patrick O’Connell’s Classic Lemonade Recipe

I made this classic lemonade recipe when I got home today. Liquid gold, Patrick!

Champagne Lemonade

I served this champagne cocktail (mixed a large pitcher of it) for a dinner party a while back. It was a major hit.

Rosemary Lemonade

I first fell in love with rosemary lemonade at a business lunch at Vidalia years ago. They no longer include it on their menu but I was able to find this recipe which could be close. (According to Vidalia, their lemonades “are seasonal. Right now we are featuring peach lemonade and strawberry lemonade.” If they are even half as good as their rosemary-spiked sister I highly recommend checking them out!)

Stay cool (and well-hydrated!), everyone, and let me know if you have a favorite beat-the-summer-heat drink!