Basil Lemonade
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, packed
- 1 1/2 cups fresh-squeezed lemon juice, 5-6 large lemons
- 7 cups cold water
- ice
- fresh basil, to garnish
- lemon wedges, to garnish
Instructions
- In a medium pot, stir together 1 cup water and 1 3/4 cups sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil until the sugar is completely dissolved, it shouldn't take more than a minute or two. Turn off the heat.
- Meanwhile, in a heat-proof bowl, add the 1/4 cup packed basil. Use your hands to tear up the pieces. Use a wooden spoon to bruise the leaves against the bowl. Keep going until they are nice and dark. You want to get all that flavor.
- Pour the sugar syrup over the basil leaves. Put it in the fridge for about 2-3 hours or until completely chilled. The longer it sits the more basilicious it will be.
- Juice the lemons. Strain it through a colander to remove the seeds, but so that most of the pulp remains.
- Add the lemon juice, 7 cups of water, and ice to a pitcher. Strain the refrigerated syrup through the colander into the pitcher. Discard basil. Stir well.
- Serve with ice, fresh basil, and lemon wedges.
by The Food Charlatan