Ingredients
4 cups fresh lemon juice (about 24 lemons), strained
8 cups water
1 cup sugar
10 stalks of fresh lavender (the flowers and their stems, not leaves) plus extra for garnish
honey to taste
sugar to taste
Ice, for serving
3 lemons, thinly sliced, for serving
Preparation
Pour the strained lemon juice into a large container. Add 6 cups of water and 3/4 cup of the sugar, then stir until the sugar dissolves.
Combine in a pour-able pot the remaining 2 cups of water, 1/4 cup sugar, and lavender (you may need to cut the lavender stalks down so they’ll fit into the pot). Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring first to dissolve sugar and then covering the pot. Allow to boil, covered, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Strain the lavender mixture into the rest of the lemonade. Add honey and/or sugar to taste. Pack in an insulated drink cooler or Thermos. Serve the lemonade in glasses over ice garnished with a lemon slice.
FOR THOSE OF US IN A TIME-CRUNCH: This recipe is easily adaptable for use with a simple frozen can of minute-maid lemonade. Just add the lavender mixture to the concentrate, and then add water to taste.
