Old-fashioned Lemon Balm Lemonade

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 4 lemons
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon balm leaves
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup boiling water
• 2 1/2 cups water
• ice (optional)
• 2 -3 fresh sprigs lemon balm, to decorate

Recipe

• 1 scrub the lemons well. peel the rind thinly, avoiding the pithe, and set aside the lemons.
• 2 place the lemon rind, lemon balm leaves, and the sugar into a small heat-proof pitcher. pour the boiling water into the pitcher and stir well, crushing the lemon balm leaves to release their flavor. leave mixture to infuse for about 15 minutes.
• 3 now, cut the lemons in half and squeeze out the juice. strain juice into a large glass pitcher, add a few fresh sprigs of lemon balm, and add the cooled, strained syrup. top up with water or half-water half-ice, and chill until needed.