Herbal Summer Lemonade

This lemonade recipe is actually not one of my own.  Someone I know tried it last spring at a food show up in Cleveland, and I had a lot of fun adding an alcoholic twist to it.  I haven't attempted to figure out the ratios of liquor to make a large batch, but it's delicious with or without, and leaving it non-alcoholic makes it appropriate for gatherings with kids, too.

To make the lemonade

Yield:  About 2.5 gallons

Build:

24 oz Fresh squeezed lemon juice

24 oz POM Wonderful pomegranate juice

4 cups sugar*

144 oz Cold water

Add:

4 oz Fresh Dill

4 oz Fresh Mint

4 oz Fresh Basil

2 oz Fresh Rosemary 

Let steep to desired strength**.

* I've discovered that dissolving the sugar in the lemon and pomegranate juices before adding the water seems to work best to dissolve it as entirely as possible.  After that, I add the water, stir to blend, and add the herbs.

** Personally, I think about 24 hours is perfect, though you can generally start serving it after just a few hours of steeping, and you're not going to want the herbs in there much past a day and a half or so.

Alcoholic Version:

Method: Build

Glassware: 10oz Collins

Garnish: Edible orchid bloom

Ingredients:

1 oz Hendricks gin

.5 oz St-Germain elderflower liqueur

Add ice, fill with steeped herbal lemonade, and garnish.   

Summer Mocktail: Watermelon Cooler

One of my major weaknesses in mixing is N/A mocktails.  When it comes to cocktails I like to think "What liquor will work well with these flavors?" or "what liquors will work well together?"  or...well...something along those lines.  I really have a hard time finding the right balance with mocktails.  In working on my summer cocktail list, though, I really wanted to have some nice non-alcoholic choices with summer flavors.  According to my staff on Wednesday night, this one is a clear winner:

Watermelon Cooler
Method:  Shake/Box
Glass:  16oz Pint
Garnish:  Mint sprig

Shake with ice:
2 cubes watermelon
2 slices cucumber
6 mint leaves
2 lime wedges, squeeze and discard
.25 oz Simple syrup

Fill glass with ice and add about 2 oz of Sprite (or other lemon-lime soda/pop)***.  Top with a splash of club soda and box.  Garnish with a fresh mint sprig.

***Don't shake the carbonated sodas with the listed ingredients.  You don't want to flatten the carbonation.