Fresh Squeezed Lemonade

It is around this time of year as a kid that my sister and I used to set up our lemonade stand. We lived not far from the train station and had prime real estate on the block selling our icy cold $.25 beverage to weary, thirsty commuters returning from a long, hard day of work in Manhattan. Perhaps being a little nostalgic and also wanting reprieve from the beastly heat, I whipped up some fresh squeezed lemonade.

This is a great drink since it serves double duty if you want to make lemonade popsicles.

Ingredients:
6 lemons (or enough to make about 1 ½ cup of lemon juice
1 3/4 cup white sugar
10 cups of water
1 lime

Roll lemons against countertop to get them “loosened” up. Juice them until you have about a cup and a half of liquid. Strain juice to remove seeds.

Combine sugar and 1 cup water in saucepan. Add some lemon rind pieces from the pile of cut lemons that were just juiced. Stir. Make sure sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, discard rinds and allow to sit at room temperature. Chill.

Combine water and chilled lemon/sugar mixture. Add sliced lime wedges to garnish. You may need to dilute the lemonade to taste.

Variation: Omit the lime and add a splash of grape juice instead.

Spike it with some vodka.

Make popsicles. Pour lemonade into popsicle makers, put in freezer until solid.