Strawberry Lemonade

No country picnic would be complete without tall glasses of lemonade to sip slowly in the shade. For the best flavor, look for fresh bright yellow lemons with thick skins and a fresh lemony scent. For a regular lemonade you may wish to leave out the strawberries, you could also substitute limes for the lemons and make limeade. Raspberries may also be substituted for the strawberries or a few slices crystallized ginger may be added for a ginger lemonade to pour over tall ice-filled glasses.

    2 cups fresh lemon juice (10-12 large lemons)
    6 cups water
    1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
    1 large piece lemon rind
    1 (15-ounce) package frozen unsweetened sliced strawberries
    6 lemon slices tossed in granulated sugar
    Maraschino cherries with stems
    Fresh mint sprigs

1.  Place the juice, water, sugar and rind into a 3-quart saucepan.
     Heat over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Strain into a
     heat-proof glass pitcher and refrigerate until well chilled.

2.  Add strawberries just before serving. Pour into 6 tall glasses
     filled with ice. Slit one side of the lemon slices and place
     them over the edge of the glasses.

     Hint: Dip the glass rims in lemon juice, then sugar. Serve
     with stemmed cherries and peeled kiwifruit slices.

     Makes 6 tall glasses