Lemonade Concentrate
"Bright, tart, perfectly sweet lemonade concentrate you can batch in advance — because Costco sells lemons by the bag and you should use every single one."
The Game Plan
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Start with the simple syrup: combine 2 cups sugar and 2 cups water in a small saucepan over medium heat.
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Stir gently until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 3-4 minutes. Don't let it boil — you're making syrup, not candy.
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Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature. You can speed this up by setting the pan in a bowl of ice water.
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While the syrup cools, roll each lemon firmly on the counter with the palm of your hand. This breaks up the membranes inside and gets you way more juice.
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Cut lemons in half and juice them. A citrus reamer or even a fork jabbed into the cut side works great.
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Strain the lemon juice through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup. You want about 1.5 cups.
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Add a pinch of salt to the lemon juice. This isn't enough to taste salty — it just smooths out any harsh edges.
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Pour the cooled simple syrup, strained lemon juice, and 6 cups cold water into a large pitcher.
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Stir everything together. Taste it. Adjust — more water if it's too sweet, a touch more syrup if you got some particularly aggressive lemons.
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Drop in a few mint sprigs if you have them. Let it steep in the fridge for 30 minutes if you can wait.
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Serve over a mountain of ice.
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For berry lemonade, muddle a handful of strawberries or raspberries in the bottom of each glass before pouring.
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Garnish with a lemon wheel on the rim if you're serving guests. Or even if you're not — you deserve nice things.
