Strawberry-Lemonade Cocktail

Nicole Martineau

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 8 to 10

Ingredient

·        7 lemons, divided

·        4 cups cold water

·        1 cup strawberry purée (about 2 quarts strawberries)

·        1 cup Limoncello

·        1/2cup of sugar or simple syrup

·        1 cup of strawberry vodka

·        Crushed ice, for serving

Directions

1.      Juice 6 lemons into a large glass pitcher, reserving 1 lemon for garnish.

2.      Clean and roughly chop the strawberries. Add them to a blender with sugar, then blend until smooth to make the strawberry purée.

3.      Pour the strawberry purée into the pitcher with fresh lemon juice.

4.      Add 4 cups of cold water and stir well with a wooden spoon.

5.      For the cocktail version, stir in 1 cup Limoncello and 1 cup strawberry vodka. Add sliced lemons and sliced strawberries, then stir again.

6.      For a nonalcoholic version, omit the Limoncello and strawberry vodka. Add extra cold water to taste, then garnish with sliced lemons and strawberries before serving over crushed ice.

7.      Serve over crushed ice.

Garnishes

·        Red candied sugar, for glass rims

·        2 lemons, sliced

·        Extra strawberries, for garnish

Serving Suggestions

Serving Suggestions: Chill the pitcher before serving the coldest flavor. Serve sugar-rimmed glasses over crushed ice, and garnish each glass with a lemon slice and a few fresh strawberries. This drink pairs well with brunch foods, summer desserts, or light appetizers.

Tips

Sweetness Adjustments: For a sweeter drink, blend the strawberries with a little extra sugar or stir in simple syrup to taste after mixing. For a tarter, less sweet version, reduce the sugar in the purée and add a little fresher lemon juice or cold water until the flavor is balanced to your liking.

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