Mint Lemonade
Freshly made lemonade is always better than the stuff from a bottle in my book. Here’s a simple yet tasty variation on the theme.
* A fistful of fresh mint (don’t be shy)
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 cup water
* 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 8-12 lemons, depending on the size)
* 3-4 cups ice water
Combine the sugar and the 1 cup of water in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the mint (washed), stems and all. Let the mint steep in the simple syrup for at least 20 minutes to half an hour, or longer if you have the time.
I made my syrup a day before I needed it and let the mint steep for about three hours as the syrup cooled to room temp, but if you’re in more of a hurry, the shorter time span should do fine. If you are doing the quick version, though, refrigerate the steeped syrup or stir it over an ice bath to chill it to room temperature before proceeding to the next step.
Strain the mint leaves out of the syrup as you pour it into a pitcher large enough to hold the finished lemonade. Stir in the lemon juice and ice water. Serve immediately, or keep refrigerated. Garnish each glass with a spring of mint and a slice of lemon, if desired.