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Threadless T-Shirt Giveaway: Lemon Aid

20090622-threadless-lemonaid.jpg

This week Serious Eats is giving away a different food-related Threadless t-shirt each weekday! For the chance to win today's shirt, Lemon Aid, just tell us in the comments: How do you like to make lemonade?

One person will be chosen at random among the eligible comments below. Entry is only open to U.S. residents. Comments will close Thursday, June 25, at noon ET. The standard Serious Eats contest rules apply.

Comments are closed: 350 Comments:

With lemons, water, sugar and ice?

1. get in car
2. drive to Chick fil A
3. order lemonade, pay
4. enjoy

They have excellent lemonade - freshly made every morning.

Airedalelover

lemonade is so much better when a syrup is made out of the sugar and water first. and some mint just freshens it right up!

fresh lemon juice simple syrup h2o ice and MINT....Ahhhh.....

Muddle the lemons and sugar like you're making a mojito and then add water. and i agree about the mint.

w/ fresh sugar cane juice & mint.

stomp stomp stomp... squeeze squeeze squeeze... sparkling water... lemon... voila!

definitely would involve Bombay Sapphire!

I make mine with tomatoes, paprika and chopped onions

I prefer my lemonade to be on the tart side. I make a simple syrup and then add that to a lot of fresh squeezed lemon juice and icy cold water, crushed ice, thinly sliced lemons and then I float raspberries. They look like little jewels in the jug.

With vodka

I worked at a certain fast food place that sells lemonade along with deep fried "frankfurters on a pole" (Im sure most of you know what i am talking about :P) And although I was sworn to secrecy on their recipe, they said nothing of the sort about their methodology, so I combined the method and shrunk the recipe down to human sized proportions.

The trick is to soak your lemons in warm to hot water at least half an hour. After the warm bath, go over each lemon with a cloth to get off all that wax, this is important. Juice each lemon as much as you can, but don't discard the spent outsides. In a separate container from the lemon juice, put all the de-waxed lemon skins and cover just to the top of them with water. This is the messy part. Get a potato masher or other implement of lemony destruction and mash all those lemons, good way to vent anger over wearing a funny hat. About 100 strokes should do it.

After the mashing, pick up the lemon carcasses and squeeze the remaining moisture from the inside before finally discarding them. The remaining water will be full of pulp and seeds, so strain those out and add the reserved lemon juice to the now cleaned mash water. They had us add citric acid to it, but I don't suggest it, let the lemon speak for itself. Add sugar to taste, and if it is too tart, add a bit more water. This is THE BEST lemonade you will ever make. I promise!

country time?

I drive to Dels and get a frozen lemonade. Best ever.

i like my lemonade made with half lime and half lemons.

With my "Lemonader!" machine of course! One of the only single use gadgets in my kitchen, but has turned out great lemonade many a summer day.

I'm also a lemonade purist, lemons, sugar, ice, water. Alcohol optional.

Lots of fresh juice, ice, sugar, cold water, and a little bit of strawberry.

i LOVE that shirt!

i'm with lambowner tho...is there another way?

on another note, my ex boyfriend had the word lemonade tattooed on his arm.
when asked why he got it he'd reply (cool as a cucumber, mind you), "'cuz it's the best drink in the world." then he'd give you a look like, obviously? that's dedication.

With FireFly Vodka!

I'm usually too lazy to make it from scratch haha. Fresh squeezed lemon juice, sugar (usually in simple syrup form) and water. Poured over ice. I also like a little mint in it as well (not opposed to a little gin or vodka either...). Generally speaking though, I'd rather have an arnold palmer than straight lemonade.

Love the idea with firefly vodka. I would just say lots of lemons and a splash of agave. Agave is brilliant for dissolving in cold water.

i like my lemonade with strawberries

From scratch, with lemons, water, and sugar. Cutting and juicing all those lemons always makes the kitchen smell so good.

I'm a big fan of arnold palmers-- 1/2 lemonade 1/2 iced tea.

Juice of 2 lemons, 2 packets splenda, 2 packets truvia, water, and ice.

Frozen, and blended with mint leaves. Lemonnana.

OMG so cute!

I have extra lemons from a tuna and white bean salad recipe. Guess where they're ending up?

I garnish mine with lemon balm. I also leave it unsweetened and serve with simple syrup to taste.

Lazy as I am, frozen is the way I go.

lemonade with brown sugar and topped turbino sugar and mint leaves!

Since strawberries are in season, why not Strawberry Lemonade?

Ingredients:

3 fresh strawberries, sliced
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon honey
8 cups water
1 3/4 cups fresh lemon juice
slices orange

Directions:

In a saucepan, combine 1 cup water, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar, and honey. Bring to a boil, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool to room temperature, cover, and chill.
In a large pitcher, mix together the remaining 7 cups of water, lemon juice, and orange slices. Stir in syrup.
Chill.
Drink.
Enjoy!

lemon, honey, bourbon

With Firefly vodka and crushed ice.

Simple syrup, lemons, maybe some fresh mint. I also love the arnold palmer like jammin83.

lemon juice, simple syrup, water and ice.

I am lazy and open a jar.

I'm more of an Arnold Palmer girl myself, love the mix of the lemon and the tea

Mike's Hard Lemonade!

I have to agree with Kalem: with vodka. Lime works too. Add some soda water, and I'm set.

meyer lemons and simple syrup.

With fresh lemons, sugar, and ice for the kids, maybe some fresh muddled strawberries to make strawberry lemonade. Vodka is a great addition for the adults.

Dirty Lemonade:

Lemonade + Sprite + Tequila + Sliced Jalapenos + Garnish with Cilantro, Serve over ice

YUM

Freshly squeezed and enough sugar to barely sweeten. I like the shivers with my lemonade. And it always tastes better at the county fair with a corndog chaser.

Simple syrup, fresh squeezed juice, ice, mint, cold water and vodka.

crystal light

Best. Shirt. Ever.

Simple syrup is a must, as the granulated can tend to leave a grain. Plenty of fresh lemon juice and zest curls, sparkling water, and fresh mint sprigs. All over a tall glass with plenty of ice. Delicious!

juice my own lemons, sugar, and a little bit of sprite!

With no pants on, in my kitchen.

Simple syrup, cilantro, and strawberries.

With meyer lemons & Sparkling sake.

go over to the corner store and order one. Sorry, I guess I'm not a lemonade afficionado, but I do love the shirt!

with raspberries

As frequently as possible.. but my favorite blend is very heavy on the lemon, light on the sugar, and so tart your face puckers into a sour black hole.

cup of sugar, two cups of water, pile of basil leaves. boil it for a second, let it cool, strain all the uglies out.

meantime, squeeze six lemons into a gigantic pitcher, or a glass jar with a lid if you're going camping. add as much water to the pitcher as you added lemon juice. then add the basil syrup and some ice cubes. garnish with basil leaves but don't leave em in the pitcher or they'll turn brown.

add hendrick's gin or some vodka, and you've got disco basil lemonade.

half lemon squished
one packet splenda
mix with ice and water to taste

simple and quick...

I love a bitter, unsweetened lemonade with lots of ice. Oh and vodka.

I am quite lazy, so I use crystal light.

With some mango puree.

Fresh lemons, simple syrup, and a little bit of lime zest makes it a truly delicious summer beverage!

We always keep a bottle of simple syrup in the fridge, but making lemonade is still trial-and-error with me. A little lemon juice, some water, some syrup - taste. Repeat as necessary. Sometimes I'll add a spring of mint or rosemary. We just put in lavender plants, so maybe I'll give that a shot, too.

With the Country Time mix, sadly.

Take a 2-qt pitcher. Add 1 cup granulated white sugar. Take 2 lemons. Roll each on a firm surface to soften them up. Cut each in half, and squeeze into the pitcher. Put "squozed" halves into the pitcher. Fill pitcher to halfway mark with cold water, stir with long wooden spoon until sugar is dissolved. Top off pitcher with cold water, stir. Serve.

Tart and slightly sweet, maybe with some zest...

I've been making a strawberry basil lemonade that is awesome. Muddling fresh strawberries, basil, and lemon syrup this drink is great on its own but even better with a little vodka!

In lieu of making lemonade, I love the strawberry lemonade that you can get at certain restaurants. I will definitely have to try making it at home sometime!

I kindof feel bad for the lemons, honestly. I may have to wait a few days before drinking them again.

Pour out a pod of Crystal Light Lemonade, add water & stir! haha

With watermelon!

Lemon, honey, water!

lemons, water, sugar, strawberry

Simple syrup, juiced lemons, water and a sprig o mint!

Lemon water sugar. Pretty standard :)

With the lemons of life, of course :)

I squeeze a lot of lemon juice, add ice and agave and sometimes lemon balm, and shake it up. I like it very tart, so I usually keep the agave bottle out for others to add more.

cut lemons in half,
tilt head all the way back,
raise lemon over mouth,
let drip down throat...
very refreshing indeed.

i admit it - i use crystal light lemonade, 1/2 the amount of powder.

doesn't really matter how it's made, I just like to add sweet tea vodka... my new favorite drink this summer!

Oh, no crystal light. Lemons + water + sugar.

wow, I don't remember the last time I made lemonade! If I did now, I'd probably try to recreate the taste of a lemon shake up from a fairgrounds vendor. Mmmmm lemon shake up!

Lemons, simple syrup, lots of ice and a hot day.

When we had our own trees it was as simple as picking a lemon, squeezing it (and maybe its brother) into a glass, adding sugar, and filling the glass with water. Anything more, especially if it takes time, loses essential oil and flavor compounds that makes the lemon-aide seem flat even an hour later.

(I had a boss who'd worked at P&G and thought it a hoot that they'd managed to foist lemon-aide with NO LEMON on the American consumer and made it the biggest selling brand in the country. Idiots!)

i love fizzy lemonade -- lemons, sugar, ice, and seltzer. it's like a homemade limonata!

With ice cubes in a blender. Sometimes I add frozen berries too. And for those really tough days, throw in some limoncello, chambord, or vodka!

Open tub of Crystal Light, pour into pitcher, add water and a few mint leaves.

I don't think I've never made it, but I would buy lemonade on occasion as a kid.

With lemons, sugar, sparkling water, and a few cut up limes and oranges and then add the ice and then, well, a little vodka and triple sec.

blended with ice, rasberries, and fresh lemon juice

Go to the store and buy a bottle of Simply Lemonade. This stuff is great.

lemon, sugar, water, ice, mint, KUMQUATS!!! Cause then you get yummy smashed kumquats to nibble on at the end

With maple syrup instead of sugar or simple syrup.

Lemon-infused vodka, sparkling water, simple syrup, and a single crushed strawberry.

I've always been partial to the minor-league baseball preparation method where they squeeze a couple lemons into a plastic cup, throw in one of the juiced lemons, a couple of heaping tablespoons of sugar, and top it off with water. It was cheaper than bottled water at the last game I went to.

glass, ice, newman's own pink lemonade, drink up!

fresh squeezed lemon juice, simple syrup, water and some purreed strawberries!

I don't, but I like the shirt

simple syrup, lemons, and a some muddled mint!

It's not true that I just prick my finger and....

First I start with pure, filtered water. Then! I had high fructose corn syrup in equal parts to fresh lemon pulp from concentrate from a variety exotic faraway locations. To finish it off, just a dash of each of the following: natural flavors, citric acid (provides tartness), modified cornstarch, glycerol, ester of wood rosin, sodium hexametaphosphate and sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate and EDTA (to protect taste) and of course yellow #5.

Very reminiscent of what I hear that this drink tastes like.

Juice of 1-2 lemons, sugar and water to taste, add ice. Great for when you have a cold and need a super shot of Vitamin-C.
I also love Chick-fil-A lemonade.
I know it's horrible but I really also like Crystal Light "Natural Lemonade" flavor....the kind you mix in a pitcher, not in a water bottle.

Lemonade mixed with iced tea!

Lemons, juiced, water, and just a little bit of vanilla sugar. I like mine tarter rather than sweeter. Sometimes just a hefty squeeze of fresh lemon juice in really cold water is perfect. Not so tart that you need sugar, but lemony enough to be refreshing.

Lemon, Simple Syrup, and water, sometimes sparkling.

Be exhausted and drink in one gulp.

Lemons and lavender-steeped simple syrup!

I like my lemonade in an Arnold Palmer...the drink, not the person.

I buy mine at Chick fil A!

I admit it--from the mix :)

Open up a bottle of Minute Maid lemonade.

Fresh squeezed lemon juice mixed in with warm simple syrup. Chill and pour over ice. Good stuff!

I get out my "juice-o-matic," squeeze as many lemons as needed, add sugar, water (depending on the tartness), sometimes ginger syrup, and always ice.

I hunt down the elusive CANNED ONLY country-time lemonade I enjoyed as a child...chill in cooler for 3 hours, and enjoy

My lemon tree goes nuts every summer and nothing's better than fresh-squeezed. I usually add basil, mint, lavender or another summery herb to the syrup mixture. Yum!

i like the pink lemonade frozen stuff.

with lots of honey :)
tastes different but, in my opinion, better

haven't tried it with pancake syrup yet...

With some mint and ginger syrup!

With fresh lemons, simple syrup and raspberries!

I go to Del's lemonade - nothing like it!

I call up my friend Alanna and we make a Chick-Fil-A run. We're so lazy. :-D

Ditto on Chick-fil-a (diet, please).

Oooooh diet Lemonade from chick fil a. That stuff's great!

"How do you like to make lemonade?"

With life's lemons.

(ok, fine, with agave nectar and lemons and water... geez, it's humor!)

simply syrup
fresh lemon juice
muddled mint

yum!

water, lemon juice, sugar, ice. i've always wanted to try minute tho

mash the lemons, toss in sugar, mask some more, pour juice/sugar into pitcher filled with ice and top off with water. Voila!

In the summer
Around three-ish
After a long walk
In the streets of Paris
With Daniel and Cristiana
Fact

with muddled strawberries

Mixed with iced tea.

First make simple syrup: Heat one part sugar and one part water in a pot on the stove over low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved, stirring often. Cool completely and store leftovers in a tightly lidded jar in the fridge.

Second juice the lemons: Start with warm (unrefrigerated) lemons. Give them a firm roll on the counter to break up some of the membranes inside. Cut each lemon in half along the equator and juice with a juicer or a fork. Strain lemon juice if you don't care for pulp.

Third mix to taste: Fill a pitcher 1/2 full of water and add lemon juice and simple syrup to taste. Make this mixture a bit strong as it will be watered down by ice soon. Fill pitcher the rest of the way with ice. Stir. Pour into glasses and serve.

An old Sunkist recipe:
6 Sunkist lemons, juice of -- (1 cup)
3/4 cup sugar -- or to taste
4 cups cold water
1 Sunkist lemon, cut into cartwheel slices
ice cubes

In a large pitcher, combine the lemon juice and sugar; stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the remaining ingredients and blend well.

Frozen lemonade with sprite and stoli!

lemons, sugar, water, and lavender. oh, heaven.

good old superfine sugar, water, lemon juice. i like to throw in the juice of a few limes, too.

lemons, simple syrup, water, and mint cut from my herb garden. Its the only reason I have mint.

lemon juice, simply syrup, water, mint and ginger. Oh lordy it's good!

Homemade with real lemon, sugar, filtered water, a touch of zest in the mix, and love.

Muddle some mint in the bottom of a glass, at two tsp sugar, a shot of lemon juice (though I prefer lime), fill with ice, top with water or club soda..

Oh, I left out the shot of rum!

Yes, if life hands me citrus, it's time to make mojitos!

Has to be an Ahnold Palmah with some Firefly sweet tea vodka. Just the thing for those super hot days on the Cape.

Squish Lemons. Add sugar (lots!). Add water.

Drink up!

I like my lemonade made with lemon juice and simple syrup, sweet tea and vodka with a little mint. Perfect!

Us Rhode Islanders know what's up. Stop at the Sign of the Lemon and grab a cool, refreshing Del's frozen lemonade with golden nuggets of zest mixed in. Wicked good.

Freshly squeezed lemons, simple syrup, water and a splash of grenadine. Oh, and lots of ice for those steamy Tennessee days and nights.

I like to make it from scratch, starting with a simple syrup. It's just one part water, one part surgar, add some heat and voila! Next, juice as many lemons as you see fit, mix that with as much water as you see fit, then mix it with the, now cooled, simple syrup and bam! You have lemonade.

But if I'm not being lazy, which usually I am, even though the damn lemons are growing in my friggen backyard, I'll be ambitious and make more than one pitcher of lemonade; each being a different flavor. So far the family favorites are:

Blackberry Lemonade; just add some muddled blackberries to the simple syrup, strain it and then finally add it to the lemon/water mix. I know there are other ways to make it, but I really like the way it tastes when the blackberries go into the simple syrup first.

Honey and Mint Lemonade; for this one it gets kinda tricky, because measuring this out is more about eyeballing it than anything. For this lemonade, I start the simple syrup with one cup of water and just a touch of sugar to get the syrup going; I'd say like a tablespoon. Then I put in some honey, generally I just use 5 huge dollops, rather than putting the honey into a measuring cup. When the simple syrup has a smooth consistancy, I add it to the lemon/water mix, stir in some crushed mint leaves and enjoy!

Yeah, lemonade friggen rocks.

fresh lemons muddled with sugar, water, mint and a splash of soda.

Finding myself with an excess of rhubarb this year, I blended it with sugar and strained it to get the juice.

Using fresh lemons, simple syrup and the rhubarb juice, I made one of the best lemonades I had ever had.

Rhubarb rocks!

Fresh squeezed lemonade with ginger, mint and simple syrup

Pour the powder in the water

When life gives me lemons, I say, "Thanks! I love lemons. You got some more?"
Lots of lemons
Simple syrup
Water
Freeze some lemonade in ice cube trays
Serve with lemonade ice cubes!

With some lavender simple syrup and maybe a little gin.

mmm, fresh squeezed lemonade with mint, ginger, and vodka. makes a great cocktail :)

lemons, water, ice, agave nectar, salt and mango

lynchburg lemondade

I make my lemonade with vodka and cherries to cut the tartness.

I open a can.

Either strawberry lemonade, or Arnold Palmer-style with unsweetened iced tea!

The lazy way......frozen

A Tom Collins is basically lemonade, right? gin, simple syrup, fresh lemon juice, club soda. So refreshing!

I make mine with homemade ginger simple syrup instead of sugar.

arnold palmer style!

with simple syrup and fresh mint. still water normally, or sparkling if i have it.

Freshly squeezed, with pureed strawberries. It's the only way.

I like to make my lemonade with vodka and a splash of soda water.

I float a chunk of lemon in a glass of water. I know that's more "lemon-water" than "lemon-ade". Sometimes I'll squeeze a little extra lemon juice into the glass.....

I make my lemonade with soda water, lemons, and sugar.

Slice the lemons and mash in a zip lock bag with sugar.
Add to water ( or white wine for grown up version) and pour over ice

Chik FILA PLAYA!!

fresh lemons, buckwheat honey (or maple syrup) and cool water.
mix, sip, repeat. mm.

I prefer Limeade does that count?

Juice 5-6 good sized limes - 1 cup
add sweetener of choice - 3/4 cup sugar equivilent
1 quart of cold water
mix well serve over ice.

Squeeze the lemons, extracting as much pulp as possible; reserve the juice. Float the peels in a jug of warm tea and allow it to cool. Mix the reserved lemon juice with simple syrup, remove the peels from the cooled tea. Give them a quick squeeze and stir in the lemon-syrup mixture. Serve in a tall glass filled with crushed ice. Modified Arnold...

Just this past Monday I made lemonade with fresh lemon juice, fresh liquified watermelon, simple syrup, and frozen crushed cherries as ice cubes. SO GOOD!

Real Lemons, Real Sugar, Ice, Blender, Hot Day. MMMMMMMMMMMMM

I've never made my own, not even when I was a kid. These days I buy Simply Lemonade. So good.

i squeeze my Geo Prism!

Lemons, simple syrup, water, ice.

one glass at a time: juice of one lemon, cold water, teaspoon or two of sugar, and one of the lemon halves back in the glass.

I first wash my hands in soapy hot water, because the way I make lemonade requires a lot of handling.

I get 5-10 lemons (depending on how much lemonade I want to yield) wash those, and cut them in half--around the equator.

I hand squeeze 2/3rds of lemons. Once every last drop of juice comes out, I use my hands to pluck out any pieces of meat in the fruit. With the other 1/3rd of the lemons, I simply pluck out all of the little pieces of fruit. Then, I take lots of sugar, and macerate it with the lemon/lemon juice. Finally, I'll add lots of crushed ice, and a some ice water. It's the best lemonade if you love pulp as much as I do! When I have time, I'll even add some zest!

lemons, sugar, some elderberry flower syrup, mint and ice...

I buy a ton (or what feels like it) of lemons in the Italian Market, let them get really ripe, and then when they are getting soft, I squeeze the bejesus out of them. Add water and sugar to taste. A few limes add a nice mix.

Lemons, maple syrup, water and ice. Yummmm.

3 Lemons
1Pink Grapefruit
1qt Sparkling H2O
1\2 Cup Sugar
Lot of Ice

lemons, seltzer, ice, vodka and rosemary to garnish

with raspberries!

The only time I crave lemonade is when I am down the shore. I love how they serve it on the boardwalk with the half of a lemon and like tablespoon of sugar and the cup filled with ice before any liquid has even been added

lemon, simple syrup, water, gin, ice. please and thank you.

With Louisiana strawberries muddled in it.

I don't actually drink a lot of lemonade, but I would love to own this shirt.

agave syrup, lemons, water & squeezing muscles

yesterday i threw lemon gelato, local strawberries, and a bit of water into the blender. best lemonade i've ever had.

Sparkling water, lots of lemon, a small swirl of simple syrup. Bonus points for vodke, though I'm pretty sure in that case it goes by a different name . . ..

mmm, keep it simple with some lemons, syrup and water.

With lemons, sugar syrup and sometimes fizzy water.

At the restaurant I order water w/ lemon, take hubbys lemon from his tea since he doesn't like lemons, squeeze lemons into my water, then drop lemon slices into the glass of water, add in 2 sweetener packets, stir and drink. At home I make lemonade drink mix. After work I squeeze concentrated lemon into glass of water, 2 sweetener pkts., and ice. On vacation I use fresh squeezed real lemons, water, sugar, ice , and float lemon slices on top.

Squeeze 2 lemons, add about 3/4 to 1 cup of water... and honey to the amount of sweetness that's wanted. Sometimes I'll replace the honey with sugar instead. Put in some ice cubes and I'm set!

Lemonade from an Alex's Lemonade Stand. It's extra sweet and icey cold!

splenda, lemon squeezed and extra pulpy and water... sometimes throw a few strawberries.. i wonder if watermelon would taste good?

fresh squeezed lemon juice, strawberry puree, sugar, ice

Definitely Del's frozen lemonade. Though I make a mean fizzy lifting drink of freshly muddled lemons or limes, vodka, and a splash of cointreau.

with vodka obviously!

squeezed lemon juice, water, sugar

I do not make lemonade, mostly because I do not drink lemonade. Water with lemon or lime is all I need, thanks.

Lemons, sugar, honey, mint and sparkling water and ice!

I must admit that all I need is a can of Country Time and a HUGE glass of ice...

Pour over a cup of ice: 1 can Redbull + Squeeze 1 Fresh Lemon + 4oz of Vodka.

lemon juice, sugar, and a dash of raspberry - all on some ice!

Lemon juice (preferably freshly squeezed) like, 1 cup... I think..., a bunch of water (quart? 2?), and sugar! bunch of that too, maybe like a cup? yummy!

with the help of simply lemonade and ice

1 can frozen pink lemonade, 1 can water, 1 can peach schnapps, and 3 cans of crushed ice - blend and enjoy... in moderation, or course. And you can cut back on the schnapps, depending on your mood. With the full can, it's some serious party lemonade.

I like mine with raspberries. Yum!

pick out five awesome looking lemons from our lemon tree, juices 'em up.
put the rest of it in the picther. add ice. and sugar according to my taste, put water & the juice..mmmmm. refreshing (:

I have mine all by themselves :)

I like to make mine by buying a jug of Strawberry Lemonade from Trader Joes and pouring into a nice cup filled with ice. :)

I first start with a visit to the Land of Lemons. I hail to the Lemon king (brother to the Banana King) and request 5 of his best lemons. After heavy persuasion of threatening him with a lemon squeezer he gives up his best 5.
I next head home where i gve the lemons up for sacrifice and draw their lemony goodness of with a blunt knife. while the lemony blood pours out onto the sacrifice stone i allow it to drain into a small pitcher where it's all finished i add sugar.
Not any sugar, but the sugar from the magic sugar pixies that swarm the ancient candy land.
Once it has been properly refrigerated i will pull a glass from the shelf and insert precisely 5 ice cubes and pour the magical Lemonade over the top of them.
finally the most important part, sip with pure enjoyment while watching the summer sun set with the dogs at my feet.

"Honey, doesn't some lemonade sound good?" A little while later - it just appears! MAGIC!

My recipe is simple: anything goes as long as you have this secret ingrediant: HONEY. Soooo divine.

mash up lemons, add 3 cups sugar! maybe another for good measure...

I take the lemons that life hands me, squeeze the little devils and, voila! Makes lemonade "taste like a sunny day!"

My husband makes lemonade for me when I am sick - fresh squeezed - although he makes it kinda sour it's made with lots of love and that's all I need to feel a tad bit better.

Fill glass with ice. Add vodka. then some lemonade. Garnish with lime

When life gives me lemons I make lemonade... duh.

...with fresh lemons, strawberries, lots of ice, a dash of mint and a SMILE!

Oh my gosh, lemonade is definitely my family's favorite! People must think we're crazy because we have a pitcher of it in our fridge all year round, even when it's snowing--but it's well worth it. My Mom taught me the recipe (which isn't written down in ink anywhere, by the way) when I was young: 1 cup of suger (never measured out of course), fill the pitcher up half way with warm water (dissolves the sugar nicely), 6 seconds worth of pouring lemon juice ("mississippi"s of course), and a lemon cut in half plopped in for a last (fresh!) touch.
As simple a recipe as it is, I will forever love it!

drive to chick-fil-a, making lemonade seems like way too much work.

The best way to make lemonade is not really on purpose, but as a byproduct of making limoncello, which produces a lot of extra lemons that can be made into a delicious homemade beverage that you can drink while you wait for your more delicious homemade beverage to finish.

lemons + sugar + strawberries...or just bust out the Country Time.

At the ballpark on a hot summer day!

First you have to squeeze some lemons (of course)
Then add some sugar
Next take some fres raspberries and blueberries and muddle them in
Pour your syrup into a big pitcher and fill with water
Make some ice using leftover raspberries and blueberries in the ice tray, and use them in your glass when you pour - that way as it melts, you'll have some whole berries floating around

For an extra summer treat - pour the lemonade mix into ice cube trays and feeze with popsicle sticks to make summer ice pops ;)

Lemons, sugar, clear-cool-water and.....Stoli !! :)

I patiently wait for life to give me lemons, and then I get to squeezin'.

I like to take Lemonade Kool-Aid and make it like you normally would with sugar. Then I squeeze some fresh lemon juice in and slice up a few lemons to tart it up a bit more. When I pour it in my glass I usually add a spoonful of Grenadine as well and it's SOOOOO good. :)

I make Country Time Lemonade (from powder) and then i take a bunch of lemons and add that juice and I slice em up and sort of muddle the slices in it.

usually from a mix unfortunately

I'm a lemon-lime kinda girl. Don't like straight lemons; don't like straight limes...so I mix them! Delicious!

I use 1 cup organic lemon juice, 1 cup sugar, and about 6 cups water. Then add ice. Yum!

pour crystal light into water bottle. shake. done!

Fix up a carton of Minute Maid lemonade with fresh fruit.

This is seriously so me right now. Since I'm on the Lemonade Diet right now. It's like the lemons are coming to my rescue, lol. It is simply made with 2 tbsps. of grade B syrup and lemon juice which you mix with water in a 10 oz glass/cup and a dash of cayenne pepper.

Strawberry Lemonaide is my absolute favorite!! Only fresh strawberries, of course... in a sugar rimmed glass. Yummy :o)

I'm not one much for regular lemonade...raspberry lemonade is my fav! Especially with whole raspberries thrown in for a garnish! Delish!

Mix it with iced tea for an arnold palmer!

Order water at a restaurant, ask for some lemons on the side, add sugar, ask a different waiter for some lemons and poof lemonade 

Order water at a restaurant, ask for some lemons on the side, add sugar, ask a different waiter for some lemons and poof lemonade 

I boil lemon juice, water, sugar and lemon zest to make a syrup and then add more water/ice/mint when ready to serve. The zest makes it.

my mom taught me to make my lemonade
start with meyer lemons

long strands of lemon zest/peel at the bottom of the pitcher
a cup of sugar
slice the lemons, and layer them in the pitcher
should fill about 2/3rds of the pitcher
pour 2 cups of HOT water over the lemons
fill to the top with ice, and then pop in the fridge
let it rest in the fridge for 4-12 hours

tastiest lemonade out there, each fridge works differently.
and I tend to use a pitcher with a bottom spigot

Especially in a hot sunny day
1.Mix fresh squeezed lemons, ice cold water, sugar in a glass, prefferably a metal one (dunno why I used to always grab the metal glasses when making lemonade when I was younger).

2. stir the lemonade with a drink stirrer (I used to use one of the colored plastic ones from the alcohol closet; they were cool).

3. Enjoy!!! Optional: suck on the lemons.

now a days, i would order lemonade at a restaurant, probably with a flavor added like raspberry lemonade. Yum yum.

While I LOVE strawberries and strawberry lemonade, I also have this thing for cherries. Muddle some fresh cherries in homemade lemonade (lemons, sugar, water), and it is awesome. Also - CRUSHED ice. It makes all the difference.

... with vodka and fresh blueberries galore!

Step 1- remove ends of a lemon, then slice in half.
Step 2- remove lemon halves (the weird core-like stringy thing)
Step 3- cube the lemon halves and place into a glass
Step 4- grind suger in a mortar and pestle so it becomes very fine, put 2 teaspoons + more to taste over the lemons
Step 5- Use the pestle to then crush the lemons and sugar together (dont break the glass!
Step 6-fill up the glass with ice
Step 7- add water to top of glass
Step 8- stir
Step 9-Realize that you pretty much made a virgin Caipiriña substituting lemons for limes
Step 10- Make a real one
Step 10.1 - enjoy both!

with real sugar, real lemons, and a little bit of fruit!

I don't make it. I leave that up to the carnies.

Gallon-sized glass jar + bag of ice + handle of Vodka + 4-5 freshly squeezed lemons and 4-5 freshly squeezed limes + cup of sugar. Wrap the jug in a towel and shake for 20 minutes.

It's not just a good summertime drink, it's also a fun party activity.

I like to make lemonade naked, on a hot summer day.

Lemons from our tree and some agave syrup with water over ice. Mmm!

lemons, simple syrup, water. plus vodka if I feel in the need of an adult beverage.

fresh lemons, sugar and ice.

fresh lemons, sugar, water and love

I like to add some lime juice to it.

first of all that shirt is the best!

next up, muddle lemons with vanilla sugar in a glass, add water and ice. drink

1 cup sugar, 1 cup lemon juice, fill the pitcher with water and ice! unless you want to get fancy, and then that's something else all together...

I like to start with a pitcher of water .1 cup sugar and a wooden spoon. Then the secret ingredient... Kool-Aid.... OOooooo YYYaaaa.

I like kool aid lemonade, with ice

i like mine fizzy

With mint or watermelon.
Also, even if I don't win this t-shirt, I think as an ER doctor who cooks more than I have time to I should buy it, because I might really need to own it!

Squeeze lots of fresh lemons, add sugar and stir to dissolved. Add cold water, the squeezed lemon shells and ice cubes - don't stretch the taste too far - you want it really lemon-ey. Sit in the sun to drink!

Lots of ice and VODKA!

It's kind of become a tradition when I'm at my aunt & uncle's house to make fresh-squeezed lemonade. Growing near the bottom of their hilly backyard is a pretty good sized lemon tree, with perfectly-shaped lemons to lemons that look hilariously mutated. My younger cousin and I pick as many ripe lemons as we can, haul them up to my older cousin's kitchen, and begin the lemonade-making process. Some time later, our hands dripping with sticky lemon juice and bits of lemon pulp, we've finished slicing and hand-juicing all the lemons (quite a task, if I do say so myself). Into a pitcher goes the lemon juice and some water--never an actual measurement, because we rely on our taste buds--and then it's time to get the huge Tupperware of sugar. Dump in some sugar, stir, and taste. We repeat the process countless times ("What do you think? Is it sweet enough?" "Um...no...I think it needs a little more sugar."). And by the time I think we've over-sweetened the lemonade by pouring in what seems like the whole container of sugar, it's perfect, the right combination of tart and sweet. Our hands sore from gripping the metal juicer, we can finally sit back and taste the fruits of our labor. There's no twists on this lemonade, just a whole lot of love put into it. And that's how I like to make lemonade. :)

Depends on the mood:

1. Feeling lazy? Grab Crystal Light powder and wonder what that aftertaste is in my mouth for the next few hours...

2. Feeling dedicated? Squeeze the life out of a million lemons, mix with extra-sweet simple syrup, and wonder when carpal tunnel will begin to punish me for never buying that electric juicer...

3. Feeling frisky? Throw a little vodka into the mix and wonder why the hell I don't do things this awesome more often!

I like to make lemonade on a hot day in summer. With a lot of ice too!

recipe from my mother's 1968 Joy of Cooking

snatch some lemons from my mom's meyer lemon tree and add just enough sugar to make it sweet!

First off, get the lemons from your neighbor's lemon tree. Squeeze lots of lemons for the juice. Add this to 1/2 gallon of water, ice and sugar. Taste to see if you like it and enjoy.

Good you are having this thread. I just bought two bottles of lemon juice and need something to do with them (I was supposed to have bought one lemon and one lime but both are lemon--and paid more for the 2nd one I thought it was lime juice. Boy it pays to read labels closely.

Lemon juice, sugar and water--at least thats what I will be doing this weekend

first life has to give me lemons.
once it does i take a bag of skittles and eat all the colors except for yellow.
I take the yellow ones and drop them in a bottle half filled with Stoli.
Shake it, shake it good. Let sit for a bit.
Then I take some sugar, 1 kaffir lime leaf, and 1 leaf of mint and muddle them in a zombie glass.
Put in some ice.
Put in a shot of fresh lemon juice for every shot of vodka.
Pour in some club soda.
Jarnish with the thinnest lemon peel ever peeled.
Put in a loopy straw and sip while I watch my koi swim and wave at me.
Thats how I make lemonade.

i like it a bit sour and very cold

Obviously, lemon, water, ice, sugar. BUT I like to roll my lemons around a little before I slice them open. I also add a pinch of salt. Cuts the sourness and really brings out the lemon flavor :)

With vodka! And plenty of ice.

With blackberries and vodka . . . just as soon as it is blackberry season!!

This is an old trick I learned from the Breakfast cook at one place I worked.

In a KitchenAid mixer with the whip attached fill the bowl half way with ice. Next slice lemons (6 large ones) and add to bowl. Then add one cup of sugar and 1/2 cup water. Turn mixer on low and allow all ingredients to muddle together. Place in a container in the fridge. To drink in a glass over ice. Fill the glass half way with lemon mix and the other half with either still or sparkling water. Enjoy.

i enjoy pressing the "L" button on the soda gun for a sugary lemony fix

Smoke the lemons. Mix with agave syrup, water and bourbon. Pour over ice.

I love minute maid light lemonade... and its only 15 calories a glass!

I love sparking strawberry lemonade...basically lemon juice, sugar, strawberry puree, and sparking water. SO good!!!

with too much sugar unfortunately. and lots of ice in this ridiculous summer heat!
that or buy from alex's lemonade stand. =)

I cheat. I buy it, straight up!

mix all in blender:
squeeze two lemons for juice.
add 1/2 c sugar
fill blender with ice
add water to cover ice
blend until slushy

Meyer lemons from the tree outside our door. Some honey. Water. Ice. Some sugar if the honey hasn't made it sweet enough.

Have my mom make it.

with lots of sugar!

Cute shirt! I've only made it once, but here's what I did and what I'll do in the future:

4.5 water + 3/4 to 1 c. freshly-squeezed lemon juice (~4-5 lemons) + 1/2 or more c. sugar

Wash some lemons, cut them into wedges, place in a pitcher, sprinkle sugar and let it dissolve a little. Then pour in water and ice cubes, and mix mix mix away. Serve chilled with a straw.

Cut some lemons, spoon some sugar in, stir, add a little bit of hot water, stir again, add cold water, stir one last time.

crystal lite

lemons, mint, sugar, and a splash of orange blossom rose water

fresh squeezed with a little sugar

When I make homemade lemonaid, I like to add a fresh strawberry puree.

limonata + vodka!

as much lemon juice as possible, sparkling water, and some sugar

lemon juice, lots of sugar, some honey, and sparkling water!

I like it fizzy

It's been so long. I used to enjoy Wyler's Countrystyle Lemonade. Now it's just water with a twist or two of Lemon.

Uh...making it yourself takes so many lemons. I just buy it. Sorry to disappoint. Especially if I win this shirt.

with lots of ice, a hot, hot day, and a hammock

Don't make it. Wait for the Texas State Fair and buy it from those kind people who've got the tart/sweet ratio down. Oh yum.

I am too cheap to buy lemonade, so I order some water with lemon slices when eating out and pour some sweetener in it. Voila!!! I have lemonade. I am also too cheap to buy a threadless t shirt, so I hope I win this one. Size small or extra small, please. :-)

With limes! Limeaide

I pit saffron to my lemonade to add some depth.

I make lemonade by squeezing ReaLemon in my mouth, then sprinkling in two packets of splenda, swishing it around and swallowing. Mmm...that's what I call refreshing!

That's simple, my nieghbor makes it and I drink it!!!

Arnold Palmer...from Shake Shack

I don't make it very often but if I do not comment I can't win anything. When I do make it it is the juice of Meyer lemons from my parents' tree, sugar syrup (sometimes I infuse it with ginger or lavender), topped with sparking water. And I like it on the weak side, with the lemon and sugar a suggestion.

Do I get a shirt?

In the morning, when it's somewhat cool (or the night before), boil 2 cups of water; add 1 and 1/2 cups sugar and stir until dissolved. Set aside to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, wash 10-12 lemons (2 cups juice) in warm soapy water and rinse well; cut lengthwise into quarters and squeeze the juice into a strainer set over a pitcher. Toss the peels into the pitcher but discard the pulp in the strainer . Stir in the sugar syrup along with 6 cups cold water. (You can add 2 cups mashed strawberries or raspberries at this point, if desired.) Take a sip and adjust to taste by stirring in more sugar, water or lemon juice.

Fill an ice cube tray or two with lemonade; freeze. Refrigerate remaining lemonade.

In the late afternoon or early evening when it's stifling because there's no breeze and the humidity level is the same as the temperature so that your perspiration has nowhere to go and you feel like you're wearing wet paper towels, pile the frozen lemonade cubes into a glass and top off with the fresh lemonade. While still in the kitchen, allow condensation to form on the outside of the glass, hold the glass to your forehead for a few seconds, then take a big gulp, at least 1/4 of the glass. Top the glass off with more lemonade, then go outside, sit on the shady side of the porch and sip the remainder of the lemonade.

Serves 6, sometimes, like in October, but 3, maybe 4, in August.

With hand squeezed lemons and some fresh strawberry puree. Can't forget the sprig of mint.

vodka, please

this is so not the serious eats way of doing it, but it's the frugal way and these days, frugal wins out. Use bottled lemon juice to make it. the ratio is one part lemon juice, one part sugar, and 6 parts water. Mix, chill and serve.

Fresh squeezed lemons, some agave nectar, and club soda!

with a hint of raspberry and a dash of vodka :)

-fresh lemon juice
-simple syrup
-fresh berries (strawberries or blueberries)

limon vodka would add an extra kick to it =)

oh and lotsa ice,ice baby!

With limes...limeaid is better (especially if you add a habenero).

smashed lemons, touch of agave syrup, H2O (sparkling is even better)- then experiment from there with herbs (lavender, lemon thyme, etc.) add liquor if desired. Yum!

Lemon juice, water, ice, sugar, little mix in the blender, and a dash of tequila for the grown ups.

i like to pour a glass of water and then delicately scoop some powdered lemonade mix into said glass. it gets a little complicated, but it's sooo refreshing.

when life gives you lemons, make lemonade... and add water and sugar! ;) that shirt is so cute! poor little lemon.

I like using the Countrytime Lemonade mix. Quick and easy and tastes good.

Fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, champagne, gin, shaken with ice, served in a martini glass with a brandied cherry. I believe this is called a French 75 at Michael Symon's Roast in Detroit.

with fresh mint

.. with my Threadless tee on.

Yea... I like to get that bottled lemonade that's all juice. Green top? Then I water it down a bit (all juices are too sweet for me right out of the bottle), and I might dash in some mint. All that blended with ice is nice too.

An Arnold Palmer - half lemonade and half iced tea

I make a pitcher of frozen lemonade and add a sliced lemon to it. The lemonade picks up a lot of flavor with very little effort.

I like to buy it in its frozen form in Rhode Island

Lemon juice, simple syrup, water and ice :) So delightful.

lemon Juice, packet of splenda, ice, sprig o mint. water

Fresh lemon juice, simple syrup and water.

I buy it :)

Open a bottle of "Simply Lemondade" and enjoy.

I start with crystal light and add more lemons, sugar, and mint.

1 cup of boiling water combined with 1 cup of sugar (to make simple syrup)
Juice from 5 lemons (about 2 cups of juice)
4-5 cups of water depending on how tart you want the lemonade
ice
1/2 - 1 cup of Stoli Blueberry or Jack Daniels (depending on your poison)

Enjoy your summer day

Fresh squeezed, simple syrup, pomagrante juice, and soda!

lemon juice, simple syrup, ice, and seltzer water.

I don't have a juicer, so from the store is usually the way I go. But if I do make it... it should be pretty tart, not too sweet. It's about the lemons, not the sugar.

minute maid frozen lemonade and water....ahhh refreshing

I loves me the lemonade from Hot Dog On A Stick. So good - and freshly beaten lemons taste so good!

Simple syrup squeezed with lots of fresh lime juice, fresh lemon juice (not concentrate or powder!) and filtered tap water. Shaken vigorously with a ridiculous amount of ice, and sometimes raspberry stoli.

Simple syrup, or honey. Lot's of lemon juice. I like tart lemonade!

Muddle together sugar and mint. Let sit for a little while, then add in plenty of fresh lemon juice. Mix in water to taste (seltzer water if you're feeling fancy), adjust sweetness/sourness, strain and serve, please!

With lemons!

If I don't have the will to squeeze a few of my own, Newman's Own is OK

Thanks to all who entered, and congrats to winner finsbigfan! You have been sent an email on how to claim your shirt.