Fresh mint lends an herbal note to this lemonade, which makes a refreshing drink even in the midst of winter. The recipe calls for Meyer lemons, thought to be a cross between a Eureka lemon and a mandarin orange. The fruit is prized for its floral fragrance and sweeter flavor.
Recipe courtesy of Williams-Sonoma
Ingredients
- 1 cup (8 fl. oz./250 ml) water
- 1 cup (8 oz./250 g) sugar
- 6 large fresh mint sprigs, plus small sprigs for garnish
- 8 large strips of Meyer lemon peel
- 2 cups (16 fl. oz./500 ml) fresh Meyer lemon juice, plus more if needed
- 4 cups (32 fl. oz./1 l) still or sparkling water
- Ice cubes for serving
Preparation
- 1 In a small saucepan over high heat, combine the water and sugar and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the large mint sprigs and lemon peel strips. Remove the pan from the heat and steep for 20 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing down on the solids with a wooden spoon. Let the simple syrup cool to room temperature.
- 2 In a large pitcher, stir together the 2 cups (16 fl. oz./500 ml) lemon juice, 1 1/2 cups (12 fl. oz./375 ml) of the simple syrup and the still water. Adjust the sweetness or tartness with more simple syrup or lemon juice if needed.
- 3 Pour the lemonade into ice-filled glasses and garnish each with a small mint sprig.
