Lemonade is called limonata in Turkish. Lemons have been cultivated for more than 2,500 years. Archaeological evidence suggests that traders introduced the lemons to the Middle East and Africa shortly after 100 AD. It is believed that lemons were brought to Italy in the second century and were being cultivated in the fertile Mesopotamian Plains and Egypt a few centuries later. The ancient Egyptians developed the first lemonade around 500 AD. The beverage, called qatarmizat, was made from lemon juice and sugar. It was so valued that qatarmizat was only allowed to be consumed by the Pharoh and the royal family.
