WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS From-scratch lemonade is a wonderful thirst-quencher all by itself, but incorporating some pungent, sweetly spicy ginger takes this beverage to another level entirely. To get there, we simply mashed (or muddled) lemon slices and grated fresh ginger with granulated sugar to extract the oils contained in the peel and pulp and punch up their flavor. We then whisked in some water and freshly squeezed lemon juice— no simple syrup needed. A bit more whisking was all that was needed to dissolve the sugar. Before serving, we strained the mixture and chilled it for an hour. When purchasing lemons, choose large ones that give to gentle pressure; hard lemons have thicker skin and yield less juice. Lemons are commonly waxed to prevent moisture loss, increase shelf life, and protect them from bruising during shipping. Scrub them with a vegetable brush under running water to remove wax, or buy organic lemons. Don’t worry about the seeds in the extracted juice; the entire juice mixture is strained at the end of the recipe. Serve poured over ice, if desired.
Serves: 6 to 8
Total time: 20 minutes (plus 1 hour chilling time)
INGREDIENTS:
- 13 lemons (2 scrubbed and sliced thin, 11 juiced to yield 2 cups)
- 1½ cups sugar
- 3 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
- Pinch salt (optional)
- 7 cups cold water
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Using potato masher, mash half of lemon slices, sugar, ginger, and salt, if using, in large bowl until sugar is completely wet. Whisk in water and lemon juice until sugar has completely dissolved.
- Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer set over large bowl or pitcher, pressing on solids to extract as much juice as possible; discard solids. Add remaining lemon slices to strained lemonade and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.
