Simple & Delicious Lavender Lemonade
Spring is here in Monterey County, and that means the lavender is in full bloom. Seeing the hillside covered in these glorious purple blooms is an amazing treat, and their scent is so heavenly. I love that lavender is a perennial, meaning it comes back year after year, and also that it tolerates drought. I have several varieties growing here on my farm, and I love all the wonderful things you can do with it. One of my favorite uses for it is this simple and delicious lavender lemonade. It is so easy to make, and so refreshing. The tartness of the lemons mingled with the floral sweetness of the lavender is so yummy. It is definitely my go-to springtime drink.
I love making things like this that only have a few ingredients. What could be easier? The other great thing about this is it will also fill your house with a fabulous fragrance. Since I am in the process of potty training my new puppy (see last weeks post 11 Fun Facts About Great Pyrenees), this is an added bonus for me, haha!
INGREDIENTS
3 teaspoons lavender (use only organic, unprocessed lavender)
1 cup sugar (can substitute honey)
2 cups water (for syrup)
2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (will require around 8-10 lemons)
5 cups cold water
HOW TO MAKE IT
- Combine sugar, water and lavender in a pot, bring to a boil, then immediately remove from heat and let steep for about 15 minutes.
- Strain lavender from the syrup using a fine mesh sieve (the cooked lavender can then be thrown away).
- Once the simple syrup has cooled, combine it with the lemon juice and cold water. Add ice cubes and fresh lavender garnish as desired.
HELPFUL TIPS
- Do not overcook or oversteep your simple syrup or it may be too strong and overpower the lemonade
- This mocktail can easily turn into a cocktail by adding a splash of vodka or gin.
I hope you enjoy this recipe! You can always increase or decrease the sugar, simple syrup, and lemon ingredients to your liking. Thank you for visiting my blog! Wishing you peace, love, happiness, & beautiful vistas.
