Old-fashioned Lemonade

Lemonade
Originally uploaded by pwinn.

"Anne had brought glasses and lemonade for her guests, but for her own part drank cold brook water from a cup fashioned out of birch bark...Anne thought it more appropriate to the occasion than lemonade." ~Anne of Avonlea, XIII.

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
finely grated peel of 1 lemon
1 1/2 cups lemon juice
Ice cubes
Cold water
Lemon slices
Fresh mint leaves (optional)

1. Measure the sugar, water, and finely grated lemon peel into the saucepan.

2. While stirring contantly with a wooden spoon, bring the mixture to a boil for 5 minutes. Remove saucepan from the stove and let the mixture cool.

3. Add 1 1/2 cups lemon juice slowly to the cooled sugar mixture.

4. Pour the lemonade syup into the jar and cover tightly with the lid. The syrup can be kept in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 weeks.

5. When you're ready to serve the lemonade, put two ice cubes in the bottom of a glass. Pour 1/4 cup lemonade syrup over the icecubes. Add 3/4 cup of cold water and stir.

6. Float a thin slice of lemon and, if you like, a fresh mint leaf on top of each glass.

7. The recipe makes enough syrup for 14 glasses of lemonade.