Here is the easiest way to make a lemon flavored liqueur.
1 cup lemon juice
zest of one lemon making sure not to get the pith
1 cup sugar
1 cup or more cretan tsikoudia or pure alcohol or 100-proof vodka
Add the sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest to a jar and stir well until the sugar dissolves.
Leave the mixture for 12 hours.
Strain out the lemon zest and add the raki (or alcohol or vodka).
Stir again, transfer to a bottle and store in the refrigerator.
It’s a very refreshing and cooling drink.
Apart from the fruit or spice – flavored syrups that are diluted with water and served chilled (lemonade, cannelada etc.) there are some more refreshments that give welcome relief from the hot weather. They are made in a moment and are sometimes fruit based; vegetables, seeds, almonds or yogurt can be used as well. These non-alcoholic drinks are usually homemade except those made with melon or watermelon, which are also found at cafeterias. The fruit based ones are not juices, since they have water added. Despite this, when they are served in cafeterias the word juice is also applied to them. If they are made at home, they are called as follows: peponada from peponi = melon, karpouzada from karpouzi = water melon, etc. Some of them are lightly sweetened with sugar but fruit refreshments may not require any at all. The yogurt drinks are lightly salted. They are ideal cooling drinks for hot summer days but only the salted ones accompany meals.
Lemonada
Squeeze one large lemon into a glass, add 1 ½ tsp. of sugar, or more if you like it sweet, stir well, fill the glass with water and stir again. Don’t add ice cubes, just use very cold water. For a foamy result add 1/3 tsp, or less, of baking soda.
During 60ties this sort of lemonada was not only fashionable but it was also thought of as effective assistance for digestion problems.
Serve the lemonada accompanied by a warm or cold piece of a watermelon pie.
Karpouzenia, καρπουζένια, karpouzopita, καρπουζόπιτα, watermelon pie.
This pie is found in Kimolos, Milos and Folegandros. It is usually made with the local very tasty small watermelons that are grown up waterless.
Flour
a little sugar, depending on your taste
1 tbs. cinnamon powder
the flesh of 2 ½-3 kg seedless, not very sweet watermelon, cut into 3 cm. pieces
6 tbs honey
sesame seeds
Mash the flesh with a fork. Place a strainer over a bowl and strain watermelon pulp for 1 hour; reserve juice, it will be a wonderful drink. Mix all of the ingredients well, except 3 tbs honey, until the pulp is medium smooth.
Pour mixture into a greased pan and sprinkle the sesame seeds.
Bake at medium preheated oven for 45 minutes. When karpouzenia comes out the oven, spoon the honey over the top.
Tags: non – alcoholic drinks, watermelon, lemon, fruit pies
History of Greek Food 
