Old Fashioned Lemonade!

There is nothing on a hot summer day  in the South that tastes better to me than a glass of  'real' old fashioned lemonade!  Now, I love sweet tea and I drink it everyday, but that is just it, I drink it every day, so sometimes a change to lemonade is just very refreshing!   It seems that not a lot of people make real lemonade anymore.  There are so many of the mixes and lemonade products you can buy already prepared and some of them are pretty good.  I will admit that I am sort of addicted to the Crystal Light lemonade.  However, none of them are the same as real lemonade made with real lemons and sugar.  

The key to making good homemade lemonade begins with a simple syrup, which we will learn how to make here.  It's really quite...simple! 

This lemonade is  good to make for various parties and cookouts that so many are going to be having in the few weeks....graduation parties, baby and wedding showers, holiday cookouts.  It gives those who don't care as much for sweet tea and soda another choice.  My mother always makes this for such events and the lemonade is always gone pretty quickly.   Children, especially, really love it!

Here is what you will need:

6-8 lemons or enough to produce 1 cup lemon juice (depending on their size and juiciness)

1  1/2 cups water

1  1/2 cups sugar  (If you like your lemonade a little more tart reduce the sugar to 1 cup)

1 lemon, cut in thin slices

Place the water and sugar in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil to make the simple syrup.  Boil for about 1 minute.

Juice the lemons, removing seeds and pulp.  Add lemon juice and simple syrup to a 2 quart pitcher and blend.  Add water and ice to fill. 

Lightly score one whole lemon you have reserved for garnish.  Don't cut deep, just light cuts in the skin.  Then slice in nice thin slices.    Add the slices to the pitcher of lemonade and stir.   Cutting the outer skin a little releases more of the oils and flavor of the lemon.   

Allow the lemonade to sit for about 30 minutes before serving for the best flavor. 

After about an hour, if there is any leftover and you want to save it for later, remove the lemon slices before refrigerating.  If the lemon slices are left in they will cause the lemonade to become bitter.