Basil Lemonade - Summer has Arrived!

Now that Memorial Day has passed, it’s time to pull out the white pants, bright colors, and sandals.  Not that I’m a fashionista.  If I manage to make it out the door with my apron off and shoes on the right feet, I consider it a success.  Fortunately, I can find my way around a kitchen better than I can a closet.  This fresh squeezed lemonade with a hint of basil in the background is the perfect way to escape the heat.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 ½ cups lemon juice
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 8 cups water
• Fresh Basil

Be sure to give your basil a good rinse before you start… unless you like bugs in your lemonade. 

Put the sugar and 2 cups of the water in a saucepan over medium heat. 

Continue to stir until the sugar is completely dissolved and bubbles are forming on the sides and bottom of the pan. 

Turn off the heat and throw in the basil. 

While that’s steeping, juice your lemons.  (If you don’t have a press juicer you can use a reamer, but you might want to strain out some of the pulp.)

When you’ve finished with that, your basil should be nice and wilted and the syrup will have the gorgeous aroma of basil.  It has served its purpose now, so go ahead and remove it from the pan and discard it. 

First into the pitcher goes the lemon juice. 

Next is the remaining 6 cups of water.

And last but not least, the basil syrup. 

And there you have it, beautiful, refreshing lemonade.  Now into the fridge to get nice and cold. 

Serve over ice and garnish with a couple of lemon slices and basil leaves. 

What’s your favorite thing about summer?