GREAT K. K.’S STRAWBERRY LEMONADE

Growing up, siblings ALLYSON ADAMS JOHNSON (Hendersonville, Tennessee), MANDY BUTTERS (Brentwood, Tennessee), and ANDREW HELTSLEY (Nashville, Tennessee) would visit their grandmother, K. K.—KATHERINE CORTNER KEELING (Nashville, Tennessee)—in Tullahoma, Tennessee, on the weekends. They would typically find K. K. and her husband, Jackson, sitting on their front porch on East Lincoln Street, rain or shine, watching the world go by. They share that K. K. cooked huge family meals served on HUGE plates. And she kept adding to her collection. It became a joke in the family to see how much bigger in diameter the plates could even get (to hold more food)! They also used to take family trips to Florida, where the “make-your-own-fun” included theme parties (such as a toga or tacky theme) hosted by K. K. for the family in her hotel room. K. K. kept the tradition alive by taking Allyson, Mandy, and Andrew on short weekend excursions from time to time to Tennessee locations that included Henry Horton State Park or the Smokehouse in Monteagle—nothing fancy, just something to make them feel special. Now grown and married, Allyson, Mandy, and Andrew each have two children. They are so grateful their children have gotten the chance to know their beloved K. K. (The six great-grandchildren call her Great K. K.)

1 ½ cups strawberries, stems removed

1 ½ cups fresh lemon juice (5 to 6 lemons), divided

1 cup sugar

4 cups water

Ice

1 Puree the strawberries and 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice in a blender or food processor until smooth. Pour the puree through a sieve into a bowl to remove the seeds.

2 In a 2-quart pitcher, stir the strained puree, the remaining lemon juice, sugar, and water. Taste and add more water if desired. Serve immediately over lots of ice.

MAKES 8 (8 OUNCE) SERVINGS.