Annex Saskatoon Lemonade Recipe

Cook berries into syrup

In a medium saucepan combine 2 cups Saskatoon berries, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup water and 1 tablespoon lemon zest. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer. Use a wooden spoon to mash the berries against the side of the pan to release juices. Simmer for 8–10 minutes, until syrup is fragrant and slightly thickened.

Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard (or reserve for another use) the solids. Allow the syrup to cool to room temperature — about 20 minutes — then transfer to the refrigerator if not using immediately. Yield: about 1 to 1 1/4 cups of Saskatoon syrup.

Juice fresh lemons until you have 1 cup (about 3–4 lemons). Strain the juice through a small sieve to remove seeds and excessive pulp if desired.

In a large pitcher combine the strained lemon juice and 4 cups cold water. Add the cooled Saskatoon syrup to the pitcher and stir thoroughly to combine. Taste and adjust: if you prefer sweeter, add a little extra syrup or 1–2 tablespoons simple syrup; if too sweet, add more water or a splash more lemon juice.

If serving immediately and you want a chilled drink, add 3 cups ice to the pitcher and stir to chill. For a sparkling version, fill glasses halfway with the lemonade mixture and top each with sparkling water (about 1 cup total divided among glasses).

Pour the Saskatoon lemonade into glasses over ice. Garnish each glass with a lemon slice and a sprig of fresh mint. Optionally, float a few whole Saskatoon berries in each glass for visual appeal.

Serve immediately. Store any leftover lemonade (without ice) covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Stir before serving; add ice and/or sparkling water just before pouring.