It's Summer...Time for Fresh Lemonade!

With the hot and sunny weather here, who wouldn't want an ice cold refreshing lemonade?! Fresh lemonade reminds me of our family summer vacations to Wildwood, NJ. After beautiful days at the beach, we'd walk on the boardwalk in the evening, stopping at a little lemonade stand after our visit to Dracula's Castle. You could smell the lemons long before you reached the counter. I can still remember the sound of the sugar, lemons, and water swishing together with a delightful result. This lemonade was so refreshing, but now you don't have to go take a trip to the boardwalk to get it.

Simply Fresh Lemonade

Simple Syrup:
1 cup sugar*
1 cup water

1 cup lemon juice
3 to 4 cups cold water


Make simple syrup by heating the sugar and water in a small saucepan on low-med heat until the sugar is dissolved completely. While the sugar is dissolving, extract the juice from 4 to 6 lemons, enough for one cup of juice. Add the juice and the simple syrup to a pitcher. Add 3 to 4 cups of cold water, more or less to the desired strength. 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.
Optional: Try serving with one or more of the following: Sliced Lemons, Mint (Extremely Refreshing), Fresh Fruit (Sliced, Whole, or Pureed) Strawberries, Raspberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, etc.

*A sugar substitute may be used in place of sugar. This will dissolve much faster than the sugar.