Nothing says summer like pink lemonade. This recipe adds a few extra ingredients to make it more magical. Strawberries add sweetness and color. Rose petals and rosewater evoke love and luxury. Lemons refresh adn uplift the mood, standing for the yellow sun at the height of its power.
Prep time: 5 minutes for ice cubes, plus 10 minutes for lemonade Inactive: 5 hours for ice cubes Servings: 4
- Fresh rose petals
- Water
- 4 cups water
- 4 lemons
- 1/2 cups strawberries
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 Tbsp dried rose petals
- 1-2 tsp rosewater
- 1/2 cup ice
Ice Cubes
Into an ice cube tray, pour enough water to cover hte bottom of each cubicle. Place in the freezer until the surface frosts over, about half an hour.
Wet the fresh rose petals, then place one rose petal into each cubicle, pressing down to contact the ice. Return the tray to teh reezer for half an hour.
Fill the cubicles to the brim with water. Return the tray to teh freezer until frozen solid, about 5 hours.
Lemonade
Put 4 cups of water into a high-speed blender.
Peel the lemons. Remove any seeds. Put the sections in the blender.
Rinse the strawberries and cut off the tops. Add the strawberries to the blender.
Add 1/2 cup sugar and 1 Tbsp dried rose petals. Add 1 tsp rosewater, then taste. You should get just a hint of rose flavor; too much and it tastes soapy. Add another tsp if needed.
Put in 1/2 cup regular ice. Use the “smoothie” setting, or process until liquefied. If you want pulp-free lemonade, strain it before pouring into glasses. Serve over rose petal ice cubes.
Store in the refrigerator for up to a year or tuck into the freezer. If you’re a home canner, process in a water bath canner for longer storage.
To serve, add two or three Tbsp of shrub to a glass of chopped ice and water. There’s nothing more refreshing on a hot summer day!
Adana Luna 