Homemade Strawberry Lemonade

Summer's heat has arrived.

It's soared into the high 90s in St. Denis already, much earlier than other summers. The gardens are planted, the village kids are running through sprinklers, and neighbors are retreating to the shade of the front porch.

One of the treats of strawberry season is cold, sweet strawberry lemonade. Pink lemonade

may have gotten its start at the Chicago World's Fair, but real pink lemonade is made with fresh red berries that bring their own sweetness and flavor, balancing perfectly with tart lemon juice. Homemade strawberry lemonade is pink, floral, berry-forward, and the perfect drink for a hot afternoon.

It's almost too easy to make. Fresh or frozen strawberries, lemon juice, powdered sugar or

sweetener, and a little patience. The strawberries are gently warmed and lightly crushed before being strained. Then the bright red strawberry juice is combined with lemon juice and sweetener before being topped off with cold water and ice.

Easy, though, doesn't mean ordinary. This isn't the powdered pink lemonade many of us grew up with. Homemade strawberry lemonade has a deeper flavor—sweet strawberries, bright citrus, and just enough tartness to keep you reaching for another glass. It's the sort of drink that belongs on a porch rail beside a good book while cicadas sing in the trees.

Strawberry Lemonade

Makes: ½ gallon

Ingredients

• 2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced (fresh or frozen)

• 1 cup water

• ¾ cup fresh lemon juice (about 4–5 lemons)

• ½ to ¾ cup powdered sugar or powdered low/no calorie sweetener, to taste

• Cold water to fill a ½-gallon mason jar

• Lemon slices and strawberry slices for garnish

Directions

1. Place the strawberries and 1 cup of water in a small saucepan.

2. Warm over medium heat until the mixture begins to steam and bubble gently around the edges. Simmer for 3–5 minutes.

3. Remove from the heat and lightly mash the berries. Allow the mixture to cool.

4. Pour the berries through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl or measuring cup, pressing gently to extract as much juice as possible. Compost the remaining berry pulp.

5. Pour the strawberry juice into a clean half-gallon mason jar.

6. Add the lemon juice and powdered sugar. Stir until dissolved.

7. Fill the jar with cold water, stir well, and taste. Adjust sweetness if needed.

8. Add sliced lemons and strawberries and chill before serving.

Serve over ice.

Oh—and if you'd like this lemonade to be a little more adult, add ½ to 1 cup of white rum or vodka before topping off the jar with water. The result is a simple hard strawberry lemonade that's just right for summer gatherings, backyard cookouts, or listening to the baseball game on a warm evening.

The strawberries in this recipe are frozen strawberries from our fall garden, the same berries that inspired our new Strawberry Collection. During the last few years, I've photographed strawberries and lavender growing in our garden, and this spring used those images as inspiration for the watercolor-style artwork you'll find throughout the collection. It's a small way to carry a bit of strawberry season with you long after the last berries have been picked.

Until then, we'll be enjoying our strawberry lemonade. Come, join us on the porch.