Strawberry Lemonade

Instructions

1. 1

   Combine the hulled Strawberries, Granulated Sugar, and 1 cup of Water in a small Saucepan over medium heat. Stir gently to combine.

2. 2

   Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the Strawberries have completely softened and broken down and the liquid is a deep red color.

3. 3

   Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Pour the mixture through a Sieve into a Mixing Bowl or jar, pressing the solids firmly with the back of a Wooden Spoon to extract all the syrup. Discard the solids. Let the syrup cool completely — you can speed this up by placing it in the fridge.

4. 4

   Juice your Lemon until you have 1½ cups of fresh Lemon Juice. Strain out any seeds.

5. 5

   In a large Pitcher (Large), combine the fresh Lemon Juice, 4 cups of Cold Water, and 1 cup of the cooled Strawberry Syrup. Stir well to combine.

6. 6

   Taste and adjust: add more Strawberry Syrup for sweetness and berry flavor, more Lemon Juice for tartness, or more Water to dilute. The balance is entirely to your preference.

7. 7

   Fill glasses with plenty of Ice. Pour the strawberry lemonade over the Ice and garnish each glass with a Lemon slice, a halved Strawberry on the rim, and a sprig of fresh Mint if desired. Serve immediately.