Strawberry Lemonade

I’m all for convenience but is almost a sin to make some things from a can and Strawberry Lemonade is one of them. If you have ever stirred a powder and called it lemonade, you are forgiven. Turn the other way and enjoy summer the way it should be enjoyed, with sin-free strawberry lemonade made for realz. The teenagers in my town call this “crack juice” because they can’t stop drinking it once they start. They’re addicted and I’m sure their moms will appreciate my finally finding the time to share this lemonade recipe in its natural form.

Strawberry Lemonade

• 12 cups water, divided
• 3 cups sugar
• Juice of 6 fresh lemons (add a few more for tart lemonade)
• 1 pint strawberries, cleaned & hulled
• 6 fresh strawberries, cleaned, hulled, and sliced for garnish (optional)

Start by placing the sugar and 3 cups of water into a large pot. Stir and cook until the sugar has dissolved and then immediately remove it from heat and let it cool.

Next, cut the lemons in half juice them. To get there most juice out of your lemons, I recommend using a citrus juicer. Don’t worry about the seeds. We’ll be straining this some more before drinking.

Use a food processor or a blender to puree the strawberries.

Push the puréed strawberries and then pour the lemon juices through a fine mesh strainer into a large pitcher. Use a spatula to help push the juices through. If you’re not a fan of pulp, you can line the  strainer with cheesecloth to help remove it.

Remove the strainer and pour the simple syrup & water into the pitcher with the fruit juices. Give it a stir.

Chill your beautiful lemonade in the refrigerator and/or pour over ice. Garnish with sliced strawberries if you like.

Galvanized Tub

For large parties, I love to put the homemade lemonade into canning jars with lids and serve out of a large, old-fashioned tub filled with ice. This makes every party better.