There’s nothing like sitting on the back porch watching the world go by with a glass of sweet and icy lemonade. You know what’s even better? When the lemonade you’re drinking is entirely homemade! Now that is truly heaven.

We don’t mess around here at Paula’s test kitchen. We love to whip up batches of fun flavored and beautifully colored lemonades as soon as the temperatures hits 75 degrees in Savannah-, which can be as early as March some years!  So follow our expert tips and make your own summer in a glass.

+ Use real lemon and citrus juice! Now we’re all for taking shortcuts now and again but the key to a perfect glass of lemonade is using fresh juice. It’s true it takes some time to squeeze all those lemons but we think the fresh taste is worth it in the end.

+ Dissolve the sugar! Most of Paula’s lemonade recipes call for using a simple syrup. Essentially that means you just add sugar to some boiling water and stir until it’s completely dissolved. Using this method guarantees the lemonade will be evenly sweetened without random sugar granules. Just be sure to completely cool down the syrup before mixing with the rest of the ingredients.

+ Serve it ice cold! Always serve your lemonade in a glass filled with ice. It’s one of the reasons it’s so refreshing.

+ Experiment with fresh herbs or summer berries. Paula loves mixing fruit into her lemonade for that special seasonal effect. You can either simmer the fruit or herbs with the simple syrup, mudding them into the drink, or blend them with the sugar and juice. Anyway you try it, it’s just as tasty.

+ Don’t forget to garnish. We like to add whatever fresh fruit we’re using as a garnish when we serve lemonade. Sometimes that means just a slice of fresh lemon or some berries, but it adds a nice special touch.

Now the next time you find yourself with an extra six lemons, whip up some of Paula’s favorite lemonades!
Strawberry Basil Lemonade
Blueberry Limeade
Sparkling Mint and Ginger Lemonade
Lady & Sons Lemonade