As I’m writing this post, I am utterly devouring my fresh made Mint Lemonade with Rosemary. It’s soury, fresh and makes my taste buds buzz with flavor. It is the perfect beverage for a hot hot day in Dubai. The combination of mint and lemon is a well known success. I decided to add some rosemary in, which gives it more of an earthy and deeper finish. Boy it’s good! It’s just so wonderful working with these fresh and simple ingredients.
Lemon… well lemon I’m not sure that I can say enough about it. I’m one of those weird people that eat lemon raw, as it is. Sliced up on a plate or freshly squeezed lemon juice in a glass straight up. I just love it. People often ask me how come I love eating raw lemons. I can’t put it in words, it’s makes me wanna dance 🙂
Where I grew up in Crete, spring is a wonderful thing to experience. In my neighborhood the streets were lined-up with lemon, orange and quince trees. And oh my, oh my, the citrusy aromas penetrating the atmosphere and into your nostrils – what a sensation. And there were all these pots full of mint plants. My grandma’s yard was full of it. To my eyes, mint is such a proud herb. It doesn’t need but water and abundant sunshine. And it just thrives! Such a beautiful green color with just enough depth to it. Shiny leaves that are strong enough not crease when you put your fist around them.
But let’s just go straight ahead and make it shall we?
To make the lemonade
First off, start by making the sugar syrup. Pour a 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of sugar into a small pot and bring it to a simmer.
Tear 1-2 springs of rosemary and add them to the syrup. Simmer for a 1 or 2 minutes stirring at the same time and then take it off the stove. Put aside.
Squeeze a few lemons (I used four) to get 1/2 cup lemon juice, then pass it through a small sieve. Pour the juice into a jug and add 3.5 cups of water. Chop the mint thinly and add to the mix. Stir.
This makes around 4 servings. Take a glass, put lots of ice-cubes in and add one cup of the mint lemonade. Now add the syrup. Around 2-3 tsps depending how sweet you like it. Cut a medium sized rosemary sprig and insert it in the glass. Serve as is.
Tip: It’s best to serve the lemonade straight after making it to get the most out of the fresh herbs. However, if you want to make it ahead for the next day, I suggest you hold the mint for the last moment. You see chopped mint will discolor and loose its freshness. So you can make the lemonade the day before, but chop and add the mint just before serving. Sugar syrup will do perfectly fine in the fridge for a few days.
Mint Lemonade with Rosemary
Mint Lemonade with a touch of rosemary. It’s soury, fresh and makes my taste buds buzz with flavor. Perfect for a hot day!
- 1/2 Cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed (about 4 lemons)
- 3.5 Cups water
- 4 tbsp fresh mint leaves, chopped
- 2-3 Rosemary sprigs
For the Syrup
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup white sugar
To make the syrup
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Pour a 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of sugar into a small pot and bring it to a simmer. Tear 1-2 springs of rosemary and add them to the syrup. Simmer for a 1 or 2 minutes stirring at the same time and then take it off the stove. Put aside.
To make the lemanode
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Squeeze the to get 1/2 cup lemon juice, then pass it through a small sieve. Pour the juice into a jug and add 3.5 cups of water. Chop the mint thinly and add to the mix. Stir.
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Chop the mint thinly and add to the mix. Stir.
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In a glass, put lots of ice-cubes in and add one cup of the mint lemonade. Add the syrup. Around 2-3 tsps depending how sweet you like it. Insert a rosemary sprig.
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Tip: It’s best to serve the lemonade straight after making it to get the most out of the fresh herbs. However, if you want to make it ahead for the next day, I suggest you hold the mint for the last moment. Chopped mint will discolor and loose its freshness. So you can make the lemonade the day before, but chop and add the mint just before serving. Sugar syrup will do perfectly fine in the fridge for a few days.