Recipes and mixes and bottled lemonades exist, but there’s something about making lemonade at home that goes beyond the drink. This recipe is ultra lemonade-y and is good for several reasons: it is extra lemony because it uses a whole lemon, extra cold, and it uses the ingredients and equipment designed for making fancy cocktails, which is always more fun. Is it the easiest lemonade? Nope, but it’s a better lemonade that you want to make and then smell in the zest which surrounds you as you sip it.

Lemonade Sparkler Q and A

Do you really need to peel the lemon peel in an uninterrupted spiral?

No, but why not try it, because it’s pretty in the glass and it’s a satisfying 30-second-long project, made better with a sharp peeler that makes extremely thin peels.

Simple syrup?

This lemonade uses simple syrup, which you probably have the ingredients for on hand, so the sugar mixes evenly with the juice and you completely control the sweetness.

Shaken or stirred?

Shaken. Just like cocktails that contain juice, using a cocktail shaker to chill the juice and syrup and ice makes it extremely chilly, and a little bit thicker. Also, the pleasant clinky sound of ice and liquid sloshing around in the shaker fill you with refreshing anticipation.

What do the lemon hulls do?

I threw the lemon hulls into the shaker because, why not get as much flavor as possible out of this fruit?

Why slap mint?

Slapping the mint releases the oils and creates a cloud of mintiness. This seemed like an affectation the first time I saw it. It’s not!

Bubbles?

I do. Bubbles are entertaining. Also, this is not scientifically proven, but I think they also accentuate the lemony smell of this drink.

Can this become a cocktail?

The last thing I need to mention is that this drink can also easily become a cocktail by adding 2 ounces of gin, vodka, or tequila blanco if that is what you’re in the mood to drink.