Picture Perfect Cooking

There is nothing like a tall, icy cold glass of freshly made lemonade.  I’m not talking about the stuff frozen in a tube or the yellow powder you dissolve in water.  Uh, huh!  I am talking about homemade sugar syrup and freshly squeezed lemons! I have had this recipe for 12 years and have never found a better one.  It was on the television show Main Ingredient with Bobby Flay on Lifetime TV in 1997.   Come join me on the porch for a glass.

1 cup water

2 cups sugar

6 lemons

4 additional cups water

Dissolve sugar in 1 cup of water over medium heat.  Zest 2 lemons with a grater and add the zest to the water.

Cook for 10 minutes or until liquid is a clear yellow.  It might bubble a little, but that’s okay.  If you don’t want the zest to end up in the final product, strain your syrup before putting it in the refrigerator to chill.

Juice the 6 lemons and strain out the pulp and seeds.  Pour juice in a pitcher and add 4 cups of water.  When it has cooled, pour the sugar syrup mixture in the lemon juice/water mixture.  Chill and enjoy!  This recipe is easily doubled, and if you are serving more than 2, I highly recommend it.