Lemonade Syrup / Concentrate

Summer is here and the kids are often clamoring for something cold.. Though I now make quite a few fresh fruit/veggie juices (thank you Blendtec), lemonade is always a favorite at home and with the abundance of lemons one sees in the market at this time, it's hard to resist. I like to make a lemonade concentrate so it's easy to whip up lemonade in a jiffy...

My favorite method to get the most juice is to whack each lemon with a hammer on all sides (really, I kid you not). What this does is, it breaks down the cell walls and the lemon turns softer and it makes it super easy to get maximum juice out of it. For my carpal tunnel afflicted hands, this is an important step... Whatever juicing method works for you is fine but this is mine...

LEMONADE SYRUP / CONCENTRATE


INGREDIENTS:
Fresh Lemon juice - 1.5 cups (about 10 lemons or so, depends on size)
Sugar - 1.5 cups
Water - 1.25 cups
Ginger - 1 inch, grated (optional)
Zest from 1 lemon
 
METHOD:
1) Combine sugar, ginger & water in a bowl, bring to a boil, stirring until all the sugar dissolves. Add the lemon zest and remove from the stove. Allow to cool.

2) Meanwhile juice the lemons and measure so you have 1.5 cups.

3) Strain the cooled ginger flavored sugar syrup and mix in the lemon juice. 

This can be refrigerated for several weeks.

To make lemonade - add about 1/3 cup of the prepared lemonade concentrate, add ice cubes as necessary and top the glass with cold water. 

Variations: Add orange juice (pictured) with water and lemonade syrup for an orangey lemonade. Or mix with Pomegranate juice or brewed and cooled tea. 




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