Thai Basil Lemonade

Lemonade gets a lift thanks to Thai basil, a variety of the herb that has a slightly spicy, licorice-ish flavor. Look for Thai basil at Asian markets or farmers’ markets. If you can’t find it, use regular basil.
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homemade thai-basil lemonade

Recipe by Bill Kim

Start to Finish: 10 minutes (plus 2 hours for steeping)

Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 1/2 cup (loosely packed) fresh Thai basil or regular basil leaves

  • 6 large lemons, 2 halved and seeded and 4 juiced (about 1 cup juice)

  • Ice

Preparation

In a large bowl, using a muddler or the handle on a wooden spoon, smash the sugar, basil, and lemon halves until very fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 8 cups water and the lemon juice. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Cover and refrigerate until the flavors meld, about 2 hours. Strain into a pitcher. Add ice to the pitcher just before serving.