Winter is the perfect time to pick up citrus from the local grocery store or farmer’s market (or if you’re lucky, your own backyard). It’s nice to have blood oranges, grapefruit, and lovely Meyer lemons at my disposal.
Even though it’s winter and lemonade isn’t really on anyone’s radar just yet, it’s been unseasonably warm in the bay area (hello there, 70-degree weather!). With everyone hitting the beaches in their t-shirts and shorts, it’s hard to not long for warm summer days.
Since the weather has been so late and I was in the mood, I decided to make some lemonade with Meyer lemons. What exactly are “Meyer lemons”? They are a cross between mandarin oranges and lemons. The skin is thinner, and the lemons are sweeter. That makes them the perfect candidate for lemonade!
Instead of just throwing in sugar for this recipe, I made a Meyer Lemon Simple Syrup to use. This resulted in a much smoother flavor, and I highly recommend making this particular lemonade that way!
Feel free to play around with the proportions a little bit and enjoy! You can even add lavender, rosemary, or other herbs and spices to give the lemonade a subtle (or strong!) kick.
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup lemon juice (from the Meyer lemons)
- 4-6 cups cold water
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- Sliced lemon wedges and wheels for garnish
Instructions
- On low-medium heat in a saucepan, stir together the sugar and lemon juice until the sugar has completely dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool.
- In a pitcher, add 4-6 cups of cold water along with some lemon juice. Add the simple syrup and stir. Taste test the lemonade and see how you like it.
- Add in lemon wedges and lemon wheels for garnish.
- Serve immediately. Keep refrigerated.
Notes
Adapted from Gina's Homemade Lemonade via The Food Network
