Lemonade

Fresh lemonade beats the powdered stuff by a mile, and the trick to a smooth glass is dissolving the sugar before it ever meets cold water.

That is what the simple syrup does. Heating sugar with a little water until it turns clear means no gritty crystals settling at the bottom of the pitcher, just clean, even sweetness in every pour.

Fresh-squeezed lemon juice is the other half. It takes four to six lemons to reach a cup of juice, which gives the drink its bright, mouth-puckering tang.

From there it is all about balance. Stir the syrup and juice into cold water, taste, and tip the scale however you like, more juice for tart or more syrup for sweet.

A short chill in the fridge pulls everything together and gets it cold before the ice goes in, so the cubes do not melt down and water everything out.

Kitchen Tips

• Roll the lemons hard on the counter before juicing to break the membranes and get more juice out.
• Let the simple syrup cool before mixing so it does not warm the drink.
• Adjust at the end with a splash of straight lemon juice if it tastes too sweet.
• Make the syrup ahead and keep it in the fridge for lemonade on demand all summer.

Variations

• Muddle in fresh mint or basil for a herbal twist.
• Add sliced strawberries or raspberries for pink lemonade.
• Top with sparkling water instead of still for a fizzy version.