When I was about 10, I spent many Saturdays at the family farm of my best friend, Sarah. Her folks had ponies, cows, puppies--anything you might want to ride, pet, or squirt with the hose. On a glorious summer day, only one thing could coax us indoors: Tea cakes fresh from the oven.

These heavenly treats would be baked for us by Sarah's grandmother, Miss Lillian. Though I'm well past my prime biking days, I'd gladly pedal 30 miles for just one more of her tea cakes.

A friend recently shared a recipe that came close to them. For good measure, she threw in instructions for making homemade lemonade.

The lemonade was a snap. You'll use about a dozen lemons, though, so make your life easy, and invest in an inexpensive hand juicer. Small, thin-skinned lemons are the juiciest.

To be honest, I was nervous about making tea cakes, given that I'd never baked a cookie in my life. But the ingredient list was simple, and I had gotten a new mixer last Christmas, so making the dough was quite easy. Chill it thoroughly before you roll and cut it. Divide it in half, wrap each portion in plastic wrap, and pop them both in the refrigerator for an hour.

Of course, the true test is in the taste. The best tea cakes have the kind of sugared-butter goodness that will make you swear you just heard the whap of a screen door.

So this Saturday, find yourself a cool patch of shade, pour a tall glass of lemonade, and settle back with a tea cake or two. They'll bring out the kid in you, and they might even inspire you to dust off your bike.

Summertime Recipes:

• Sweet-Tart Lemonade
• Tea Cakes

(Instead of the usual dinner party, why not consider hosting a simple dessert buffet? Assistant Foods Editor Cynthia Ann Briscoe brings to life simple desserts such as Chocolate-Bourbon Pecan Pie, Strawberry Cheesecake, and Mocha Shortbread in "Sweet Celebration," on page 180 in the July 2002 issue of Southern Living. Our easy recipes and a few simple decorations for your table are all you need to make this a scrumptious affair.)