Louisiana

You could, of course, buy a can of frozen concentrate. You could always stir a packet of powder into a jug of water. But if you want REAL lemonade, you’ll need about a dozen lemons. Carefully pare the yellow part of the peel from each one, leaving all the nasty white pith behind. Halve and squeeze each lemon. Place I pint water, lemon juice, lemon peel and at least 4 cups of granulated sugar into a large, heavy pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and cool exactly one hour.  Strain resulting syrup through a sieve or cheesecloth. Seal and store in refrigerator for up to four weeks. When you’re ready for lemonade, combine 5 parts cold water with 1 part lemon syrup. Serve with ice, lemon slices and/or fresh mint leaves.