Lemonade

Here’s a recipe for the best lemonade I've ever had. I've been thinking about it now that it's summer, and temps have already soared into the mid-nineties.

My son squeezes out the juice

This lemonade is made from equal parts of three ingredients. It's quite tasty and tends to go quickly, so we like to make as much as possible.

1. Lemon juice
2. Water
3. Sugar

We usually buy at least a bag of lemons and take turns squeezing it. But you can make whatever amount you'd like, even just a glass, provided you use equal parts.

We have a simple, manual juice squeezer. There are fancy ones that would make the job easier. But it would be hard to justify a purchase like that, considering how seldom we'd use it.

Anyway, start by squeezing out a bunch of lemon juice. However much juice you end up with, measure out equal portions of water and sugar.

(I'm duty-bound to say that. When I first got this recipe – I don't remember from where – it said "equal parts" of juice, water, and sugar. But in truth I always cut back on the sugar. You can do that in just about any recipe. If it says a cup and a half of sugar, I'll use a little under a cup.)

(You gotta be careful with this one, though, because lemon juice will pucker you like nothin' else, if it hasn't been sweetened enough.)

Anyway, three equal parts, except perhaps a little less on the sugar.

Pour half the measured water into an ordinary saucepan or small pot. Heat. Once it's hot, but not necessarily boiling, add the sugar. Stir until completely dissolved. This is critical. No one likes lemonade with sugar granules at the bottom of the glass!

Now pour the lemon juice into a large pitcher, preferably one of glass. Add the sugar water. Then add the rest of the water.

Mix. Let cool. Add ice. Stir. Pour. Enjoy. Tweak recipe according to personal taste.