Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade

I always have a supply of lemons from my parents' lemon tree. I also bought a huge batch of fresh strawberries from Costco last week and they're starting to wilt and over-ripen. And then I found this great recipe for Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade from Annie's Eats. Perfect timing. I've always loved Strawberry Lemonade. And to have it carbonated takes this yummy beverage to the top. You can definitely use still water for this, but why not make the drink fizzle fo shizzle. lol!

Strawberry syrup

1 heaping cup chopped strawberries

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. lemon juice

2 Tbsp. cold water

pinch of salt

Lemonade

1 cup very hot water

2/3 - 3/4 cup sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)

1 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

4 1/2 cups cold sparkling water or seltzer (or you can use still water)

1) To make the syrup, combine strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, water and salt in a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. Pour mixture through a fine-mesh strainer to remove seeds, pressing down to extract as much liquid as possible.

2) To make the lemonade, combine the sugar and hot water in a pitcher. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Mix in lemon juice and strawberry syrup. Pour in sparkling water when ready to serve.

3) To serve, rub a lemon wedge around the rim of the serving glass and then dip in sugar. Fill glass with ice, if desired, and then the lemonade. Garnish with sliced lemon or strawberry. Serve immediately.