Can you think of  anything more refreshing than a tall glass of lemonade on a warm summer’s day?  There is just something about the tart-sweet combination that almost works like a personal air conditioner. Sadly, most lemonade mixes or concentrates are heavy on the sweet and light on the tart. But if you are planning a Memorial Day or other summer event, it’s worth the extra time to make your own special lemonade. Your guests, and your taste buds, will thank you!

Homemade apricot lemonade

Lemonade is simply a combination of lemon juice, sugar and water. It’s how we mix those three ingredients that makes all the difference.

1. Make a simple syrup by heating 1 1/2 cups of sugar and 1 1/2 cups of water until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Juice 8 large lemons.
3. In a large container combine the simple syrup, lemon juice, and additional water until you reach desired taste (about 6-8 cups).
4. Add a sliced lemon and serve with ice.

Want to make flavored lemonade? It’s just as easy.

1. Make a simple syrup by heating 1/3 cup flavored  syrup (I used homemade apricot syrup, but strawberry or raspberry would be good too!) with 2 cups of water and 1/2 cup sugar until combined.
2. Juice 8 large lemons.
3. In a large container combine the simple syrup, lemon juice, and additional water until you reach desired taste (about 6-8 cups).
4. Add a sliced lemon and serve with ice.

Note: This recipe makes a tart, lip-smacking, old-fashioned style lemonade. Guests who are used to high fructose corn syrup sweetened lemonades may find it a bit too tart. It’s a good idea to have extra simply syrup available for individual guests to add to each glass.