When life hands you lemons. . .

...make Lemonade!!

I think lemonade is the perfect summer drink- refreshing, sweet, and hopefully a little tart. Minute Maid lemonade (the frozen can variety) is outstanding but if you want a little rustic, homemade flare, try these recipes.

Perfect Lemonade Recipe
1 cup sugar (can reduce to ¾ cup)
1 cup water (for the simple syrup)
1 cup lemon juice
3 to 4 cups cold water (to dilute)

1. Make simple syrup by heating the sugar and water in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved completely.
2. While the sugar is dissolving, squeeze 4 to 6 lemons, enough for one cup of juice
3. Add the juice and the sugar water to a pitcher. Add 3 to 4 cups of cold water, more or less to reach the desired strength.
4. Refrigerate 30 to 40 minutes. If the lemonade is a little sweet for your taste, add a little more straight lemon juice to it.

Serve with ice, sliced lemons.

I think the simple syrup method makes the best lemonade because the sugar dissolves completely. My friend Bri makes the simple syrup recipe but adds the lemon juice to the simple syrup and seeps different kinds of herbs into the hot mixture for a fantastic result. You can either put the herbs (rosemary, thyme, basil, ginger etc) in a mesh tea ball/infuser or wrap them in cheesecloth.

For other variations try these from Real Simple. You could adapt any of these recipes to start with the simple syrup.

Farmers' Lemonade
1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 12 lemons)
1/2 cup sugar
6 cups water Lemon slices (to garnish)
1 16-ounce package fresh strawberries, stemmed and pureed
Ice 1 cup heavy cream

Place the lemon juice, the sugar, and 1 cup water in a large pitcher. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then add 5 more cups water, the strawberries, the cream, a few slices of lemon to garnish, and plenty of ice.
Real Simple, AUGUST 2005

Lemon-Mint Cooler
1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 12 lemons)
1/2 cup sugar
6 cups water
Lemon slices (to garnish)
1 cup torn fresh mint leaves
Ice
2 12-ounce cans club soda

Place the lemon juice, the sugar, and 1 cup water in a large pitcher. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then add 5 more cups water, the mint leaves, the club soda, a few slices of lemon to garnish, and plenty of ice.
Real Simple, AUGUST 2005

Tropical Lemonade
1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 12 lemons)
1/2 cup sugar
6 cups water
Lemon slices (to garnish)

2 6-ounce cans pineapple juice Ice 1 12-ounce can apricot nectar 2 12-ounce cans ginger ale Place the lemon juice, the sugar, and 1 cup water in a large pitcher. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then add 5 more cups water, the pineapple juice, the apricot nectar, the ginger ale, a few slices of lemon to garnish, and plenty of ice. Real Simple, AUGUST 2005

Ginger Zinger
1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 12 lemons)
1/2 cup sugar
6 cups water
Lemon slices (to garnish)
3-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
Ice
1/4 cup honey

Place the lemon juice, the sugar, and 1 cup water in a large pitcher. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then add 5 more cups water, the ginger, the honey, a few slices of lemon to garnish, and plenty of ice.
Real Simple, AUGUST 2005

Oh, and the picture above is from Pottery Barn- such a great idea!