
I keep a bottle in the fridge for sipping. When I am in LA I go to a lemonade bar that has at least ten different homemade favours, and I am like a kid in a candy shop.
It’s so easy to make lemonade, and using agave syrup makes it even easier, as there is no need to make a syrup. If you can’t get agave syrup, 125g of sugar bubbled until dissolved in 125ml of hot water will do – just pull back on the added water a little at the end.
When I have a party I like to make a few favours and line up the candycoloured lemonades in glass bottles for people to pick and choose. They make a really good base for a great cocktail – just add some booze, fruit and a couple of sprigs of mint or basil.
- Serves: Each recipe makes about 1.5 litres
Ingredients
- 6 unwaxed lemons
- 125ml agave syrup
- 1 litre ice-cold water(still or fizzy)
Watermelon
Instead of the litre of ice-cold water, add 500g of blitzed deseeded watermelon and 500ml of cold water.
Lemongrass and chilli
Put 2 sticks of lemongrass and a red chilli into the agave syrup. Leave to infuse a sit cools, then discard the lemongrass and chilli. Top up with ice-cold water in the same way.
Blackberry and lime
Use unwaxed limes instead of lemons – you may need a few more limes to make up the same amount of juice. Instead of the litre of ice-cold water, use 250g of blackberries blitzed with 750ml of water.
Blueberry and mint
Instead of the litre of ice-cold water, add 250g of blueberries blitzed with a few sprigs of fresh mint and 750ml of water.
Honey and lavender
Use honey in place of agave syrup. Add a few heads of lavender to the syrup as it infuses, making sure you strain them out before adding the litre of ice-cold water.
Goji and ginger
Soak 4 tablespoons of goji berries in water for an hour. Blitz them with 100ml of water and a grated thumb-size piece of fresh ginger, and add this to the lemonade with the litre of ice-cold water.
Rooibos iced tea
Add 2 bags of rooibos tea to the syrup and allow to infuse as it cools. Discard before adding the litre of ice-cold water.
Method
- Slice 1 of your lemons and put it into a big pan with the juice of the other 5 (about 200ml of juice). Pour in the agave syrup and 100ml of water and bring to the boil. Mix well, then turn off the heat and allow to cool completely.
- Top up with 1 litre of still or fzzy water.