Strawberry-Mint Lemonade

My lemonade, featured at one of our work events for Mother's Day a few months ago. It was kind of a big deal...

I can't believe it's summer

How's your summer going so far?  Good?  Hot enough for you?  Are you feeling that change of the season yet?

I'm trying to keep busy with my garden, work, and the dog (which is NOT a problem when it comes for things to train him to do).  Cori and I have made time for strawberry milkshakes, ice cold beers on the porch, and Orange is the New Black episodes.  

I'm also looking forward to doing virtually nothing while we're down in South Carolina visiting my mama next week.

Except we might make this lemonade and drink it while we do all that nothing and lay in the sun.  And I might add gin to it...

Enjoy your summer, kids.

Strawberry-Mint Lemonade

4 cups sugar

6 cups water

24 lemons, juiced, plus 1 for slicing

8 cups water

ice

handful of mint sprigs

about 1 cup sliced strawberries, hulled

In a medium sauce pan combine the sugar and the water.  Heat on medium-high until the sugar has completely dissolved.  Remove from the heat and set aside to come to room temperature.  Once cooled, put into a large airtight container and let chill until ready to use.

Once you've juiced all those dang lemons (sorry, but there really is no substitute for freshly-squeezed lemons), let the juice chill in the fridge until ready to use.

When you're ready to make the lemonade, fill your juice dispenser/pitcher full of ice and pour in 1/2 the lemon juice over top.  Add 1 cup of the cooled simple syrup mixture you made earlier and give it a gentle stir.  Drop in the sliced strawberries, whole mint sprigs, slices of lemon, and stir again (gently!).  Taste and adjust the sweet vs. sour by adding either more simple syrup or more lemon juice.  

*tip* To get the biggest flavor out of the lemonade, let it sit and marinate with all of the add-ins for about 15 minutes before serving.  Sips on!