Lemonade

Ingredients
1 1/3 cup sugar
Zest of 3 lemons (no pith!)
2 cups boiling water
4 cups cool water
1 1/3 cup lemon juice (approximately 6 lemons)
5 or 6 strawberries (optional)
ice cubes

Preparation
Pour the sugar and the lemon zest into an empty pitcher. Pour the 2 cups boiling water onto the sugar and lemon zest and stir until sugar is dissolved. Pour in the 4 cups cool water, then pour in the lemon juice and stir. I usually pour the lemonade through a strainer to take out the lemon zest.

For strawberry lemonade, put the strawberries into a blender, along with a cup or so of the lemonade and blend until juiced. I strain this as well to get rid of the strawberry seeds. Then pour the strawberry-lemonade mixture into the pitcher along with the rest of the lemonade, and there you have it!

Refrigerate until cold, and drink with ice cubes!