I start the morning out shopping at the grocery store for all my non-produce needs. My plan is to hit the farmers market later and maybe support the local farmers if it isn't too outrageously priced. I head down to the library where it is supposed to be--total bust. One person selling jewelry on the corner. Not what I had in mind. So I check out the local coop--I hadn't been in there before. Couldn't bring myself to pay 3-7x the price at the "regular" grocery store, so no produce from there.
I am biking back and keep noticing these orange trees lining the street, and I finally stop in front of a school, and help myself to a few (that way I am not in somebody's yard, messing with their trees). I get home, do some google research, and find out these are "ornamental" oranges and people don't typically eat them. Well, most people don't haul their groceries around in a bike trailer, either, so I figure "why not" and try a slice. Man, was it tart--but there are other tart fruits we use for delicious summer beverages...so here it is:
1 oz ornamental orange juice, strained
7 oz filtered water
1 tablespoon sugar
This was my first iteration and was pretty much right on for my tastes--pretty acidic and still a little sour. You could of course adjust it.
If I went back to the coop and bought some agave nectar or local honey to sweeten it instead, maybe I could have a hipster orangeade stand for the rest of the summer...