A Tale of Two Lemonades (Preserved Lemons-ade & Gail's Recipe for Strawberry Lemonade)

The main purpose of making the Preserved Lemons was to make this lemonade. I was curious what difference they would make in the syrup, and whether or not the salt used to make the preserved lemons would result in another oversalted drink (Alton really loves salt).

Preserved Lemons-ade

To make this you make a lemon infused syrup. Two doses of lemon, both the preserved lemons and fresh lemon juice added at the end. You then mix it with sparkling water for fizzy lemonade. I am greatly relieved to say that the salt does not overwhelm the flavor! The lemonade does have a really unique flavor with an interesting bite, but it's not going to turn into a regular drink in my house.

Preserved Lemon Syrup

Difficulty Level: Easy (Does require patience) 
Will It Get Made Again? Unlikely. It's an interesting flavor, but not addictive. Unlike the lemonade featured below.

Every summer once I start getting fresh berries I start making berry lemonade. Strawberry is my all-time favorite but you can swap the strawberries for raspberries or another berry (or mix of berries) of your choice with equally good results. This recipe evolved over the years as I first slashed the sugar in the original recipe in half, then ditched the simple syrup and sparkling water*. It's simple to make and completely delicious. As a bonus if you love strawberries you can take the hulls and use them to infuse water.

Gail's Strawberry Lemonade

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup of Granulated Sugar
1 Cup Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice**
2 Cups of Strawberries - Rinsed, Hulled, and Chopped in Half
Water

Equipment:
2 Cup Measuring Cup
Citrus Juicer
A Peeler with an "Eye Gouger"
Blender
2 Quart Pitcher

Directions

(Make 2 Quarts)

1. For minimum clean up, order of operations matter. Start by measuring the sugar (the only dry ingredient) and putting it in the blender. 
2. In the same measuring cup squeeze the 1 cup of lemon juice (this usually takes me 4 lemons, 3 if they're really big and juicy) and pour it into the blender.
3. Rinse the strawberries and use the peeler's eye gouger to hull them (this works so much better than dedicated strawberry hullers, and as a bonus for Alton fans means that the eye gouger designed for potatoes is not a unitasker!). Chop the strawberries in half and measure 2 cups of fruit (again, same measuring cup) and add them to the blender. 
4. Using the Puree setting on the blender, mix until the strawberries are completely liquefied.
5. Pour the strawberry puree into the pitcher.
6. Fill the blender container (with the bits of strawberry puree clinging to the sides) with water. Pause to notice that the pink tinged water is approximately the color of commercial strawberry lemonade. Pour the water into the pitcher until the pitcher is full.
7. Chill at least 2 hours. Shake lightly or stir to combine any puree that has settled and serve.

   

   The eye gouger on the top of a peeler is the best strawberry huller I've found.

   

   Just dump everything in, the sugar will dissolve when blended (which is why I stopped bothering with making a simple syrup).
   

   

   Strawberry Puree

   

   Seriously, the pink water with only the bits of strawberry puree that didn't come out in the initial pour is about the color of commercial strawberry lemonade.

   
   

   

   Strawberry Lemonade

*This started out as the Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade from the Moosewood Collective
** You can swap out store bought lemon juice without majorly effecting the flavor if you don't have the energy to fresh squeeze the juice.