Ingredients:

  • 240 ml fresh lemon juice (from 6-8 large lemons)
  • Zest strips from 2 organic lemons
  • 150 g organic cane sugar
  • 1 pinch sea salt
  • 1.2 liters filtered water
  • 2 cups ice cubes

Instructions:

  1. Using a vegetable peeler, remove wide strips of yellow skin from 2 lemons, avoiding the bitter white pith.
  2. Place zest strips in a small bowl with 150g of organic cane sugar and a pinch of sea salt. Press them together with a spoon.
  3. Allow the mixture to macerate for 30 minutes at room temperature until the sugar looks damp and fragrant with lemon oils.
  4. Juice the lemons to extract 240ml of fresh juice. Note: Rolling lemons on the counter first helps maximize yield.
  5. Add the pinch of sea salt and about 200 ml of your 1.2 liters of water to the sugar zest mixture. Stir until the sugar crystals are completely dissolved.
  6. Pour this concentrated mixture through a fine mesh sieve into your serving pitcher to remove the zest strips.
  7. Pour the 240 ml of fresh juice into the pitcher with the sugar syrup. Stir well to emulsify the oils and acid.
  8. Add the remaining 1 liter of filtered water to the pitcher.
  9. Give it a quick stir and a sip. Check if it needs more water or a touch more sugar depending on your lemons' tartness.
  10. Drop in the 2 cups of ice cubes. Note: If you aren't serving immediately, keep the ice out and refrigerate the pitcher instead.
  11. Throw in a few fresh lemon slices or a sprig of mint if you're feeling fancy. Serve immediately while the ice is crackling and the drink is cold.