Lemon Recipe

Select and prepare lemons

Choose 2 medium, firm lemons with bright yellow skin. Rinse under cold water and pat dry.

Cut 2 thin slices from one lemon to use as garnish. Reserve and set aside.

Pluck 6 fresh mint leaves, rinse gently, and pat dry if using for garnish.

Zest

Using a microplane or fine grater, zest one of the lemons until you have about 1 teaspoon of bright yellow zest. Avoid the white pith. Set zest aside.

Juice

Halve both lemons crosswise. Use a handheld juicer or reamer to extract juice until you have approximately 4 tablespoons (about 1/4 cup). Strain the juice through a fine sieve into a small bowl to remove seeds and excess pulp.

Make syrup

In a small saucepan combine 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon water. Warm over low heat, stirring until sugar fully dissolves and the mixture is clear, about 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. (Alternatively, stir honey or maple syrup directly into the lemon juice if you prefer.)

Assemble lemon refresher

In a tall glass, add ice cubes. Pour in the strained fresh lemon juice, the cooled simple syrup (or 1 teaspoon honey/maple syrup), and 1 cup cold water or sparkling water. Stir gently to combine. Taste and adjust sweetness or water level as desired.

Add lemon zest (about 1 teaspoon) into the drink and stir once to release aroma. Garnish with a lemon slice and mint leaves.

Serve immediately. Yields one generous serving.