Strawberry Lemonade for 12 Servings
**Ingredients:**
- Fresh Strawberries: 2 lbs (about 4 cups), hulled and chopped
- Fresh Lemons: 12 (about 3 cups of lemon juice)
- Sugar: 3 cups (adjust to taste)
- Water: 12 cups (divided)
- Ice: As needed for serving
- Optional: Fresh mint leaves for garnish
**Instructions:**
1. **Prepare the Strawberries:**
- Rinse and hull the strawberries. Chop them into smaller pieces for easier blending.
2. **Make the Strawberry Puree:**
- In a blender, blend the chopped strawberries with 2 cups of water until smooth.
- Strain the puree through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds, if desired.
- You should have about 2 cups of strawberry puree.
3. **Juice the Lemons:**
- Roll the lemons on the countertop to soften them.
- Cut the lemons in half and juice them using a citrus juicer.
- You should have about 3 cups of fresh lemon juice.
4. **Dissolve the Sugar:**
- In a small pot, combine the sugar with 2 cups of water.
- Heat gently and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved, forming a simple syrup.
- Allow the syrup to cool.
5. **Combine the Ingredients:**
- In a large pitcher, combine the strawberry puree, lemon juice, simple syrup, and the remaining 8 cups of water.
- Stir well to combine.
6. **Adjust Sweetness:**
- Taste the strawberry lemonade and adjust the sweetness by adding more sugar or water as needed.
7. **Chill:**
- Refrigerate the strawberry lemonade for at least 1 hour before serving.
8. **Serve:**
- Serve the strawberry lemonade over ice in individual cups.
- Garnish with fresh mint leaves, if desired.
Tips for Success:
- **Balance Flavors:** Adjust the balance of sweet and tart by tweaking the amount of sugar and lemon juice to suit your preference.
- **Chilling:** Ensure the lemonade is well chilled before serving for the best flavor.
- **Presentation:** For a more festive presentation, add fresh strawberry slices or lemon wedges to the pitcher or individual cups.
Enjoy your refreshing and delicious strawberry lemonade!
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