Makes a nice big pitcher, about 9 cups
6 – 7 large lemons
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1 cup sugar
8 cup water
Chop the mint finely, and set aside about a tablespoon full. Scrub the lemons clean, and with a vegetable peeler, shave off thin slivers of the peel from one lemon. In a saucepan, stir together the sugar and one cup of the water. Stir well, then drop in the lemon peel and chopped mint and stir again. Bring to a boil, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Take the syrup off the heat and set aside to cool and infuse.
Meanwhile, juice the lemons. I like to zap them in the microwave for about 15 seconds, two at a time, to help release as much juice as possible. You want about 1 cup of juice. Pour the juice into a large pitcher. When the syrup has cooled, strain it through a fine sieve into the pitcher, pressing on the solids to extract as much syrup as you can. Stir the juice and syrup together. Add the remaining water – start with 6 cups, taste, and see if you want to dilute it a bit more.
Remember, you will serve this over ice which will dilute it a little as well. Stir in the remaining chopped mint. Keep the pitcher chilled in the fridge. Serve in tall glasses over lots of ice.
