The Hirshon Georgian Purple Basil Thirst Quencher – რეჰანის ლიმონათი

Rehanis Limonati Image Used Under Creative Commons License From info9.ge

My Citizens, it is a veritable fact that I am one of a handful of people in the United States who has taken on the sacred responsibility of promoting the glories of Georgian cuisine!

No, I am not speaking of the fine state of Georgia, but rather the proud country of Georgia, found in the Caucasus mountains and home to one of the most richly-flavored food you will ever find on planet Earth!

There are many, MANY Georgian recipes here on TFD, each a symphony of unique flavors, and now it is time to post a simple recipe – but a new one even for me! I only discovered this by accident, when reading a Georgian cookbook and the author happened to mention “pink basil lemonade” when they were young. This got me searching – only to find NOTHING. After several arduous searches, I at last stumbled onto the recipe thanks to the power of Google image search!

“Rehanis Limonati” is Georgian for what roughly translates to English as “Basil Lemonade” – but I question the validity of this, as the classic recipe has no lemon in it – it is typically flavored only with purple basil and sugar!

The unique color appears thanks to the use of purple basil, which enriches the water with this profound color and adds a uniquely refreshing twist to the classic “flavored waters” found in many cultures.

In my version of this recipe, I thank my friend Tina Makharadze, a famous Georgian actress, for suggesting the use of both honey and lemon. I also add in a ripe peach and a bit of fresh lemon juice as I find it also adds very refreshing taste elements to the final drink.

Citizens, this is a refreshing and delightful recipe that I hope you will see fit to try – and as always, if you ever find the opportunity to visit Georgia – take it!!! 🙂

Battle on – The Generalissimo