Fresh Squeezed Lemonade

You know how the Temptations sang about "I've got sunshine on a cloudy day"? Well, they might have been "talkin' 'bout my girl" but I'm talkin' 'bout something to cheer up this dreary weekend - and fresh squeezed lemonade fits the bill!

Fresh Squeezed Lemonade

2 cups granulated sugar

2 cups water

peel of one lemon

juice of 12 lemons

10 cups water

1 lemon, sliced for garnish, if desired

1. Choose the prettiest of your lemons, slice, and set aside for garnish. 
2. Peel one of the remaining twelve lemons. 
3. Use a citrus juicer to juice the other twelve lemons (including the one you peeled).
4. In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups sugar and 2 cups water to a boil. Add lemon peel and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Bring to room temperature and strain out peel over a gallon pitcher.
6. Add lemon juice and 10 cups of water to syrup.
7. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with lemon slices.

Notes: 

This recipe calls for 13 lemons (one for garnish plus twelve to juice and one of the twelve to peel). If you wish to omit the garnish, you will only need twelve lemons.

While you are making the lemon simple syrup, your house will smell like lemon drops! Mmmmm.

Lemon slice garnishes are optional, but make sure not to let them sit in the lemonade for long periods of time because they will make the lemonade sour.

When choosing your "pretty lemon" for garnish, try not to make the other lemons feel bad. ;-)

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