Homemade Lemonade

There’s no summertime drink as refreshing as a cool, tall glass of fresh lemonade. Put your citrus trees to work and whip up an easy pitcher of this warm weather thirst quencher.

There’s no summertime drink as refreshing as a cool, tall glass of fresh lemonade. Put your citrus trees to work and whip up an easy pitcher of this warm weather thirst quencher.

The key to a good lemonade is the right balance of sour and sweet. If you ever ran a lemonade stand as a child, you probably made a sour face when you tasted that trial batch of lemon juice and water. The lesson learned? Lemons are not sweet.

Of course, everyone has their own preferences, but a good baseline to start with for lemonade is 1 cup each of lemon juice, sugar and water. But, don’t go mixing these together just yet.

The secret to a perfect lemonade is to make a simple syrup from the water and sugar. This will keep sugar granules from dropping to the bottom of the lemonade pitcher. Make a simple syrup by heating equal parts sugar and water over low heat. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved in the water. This syrup will be thin, but it’s the right consistency to mix with the rest of the water you’ll need to finish the lemonade.

To get your 1 cup of fresh lemon juice, you’ll need about five good sized lemons. On average, a lemon produces about 1/4 cup of juice. Use a juicer or fork to juice the lemons into a measuring cup. Remove the seeds (and pulp, if desired).

To finish the perfect homemade lemonade, combine the syrup and lemon juice in a pitcher, then add 3 to 4 cups of water to dilute the lemonade to your taste. This recipe errs on the side of sweetness, so if it’s a little too sweet for you, mix in more lemon juice until you get the flavor just right.