Oregon Sunshine Strawberry Lemonade

There are few things more satisfying than a large glass of cold lemonade on a hot day. One of my core childhood memories is visiting the lemonade stand at the Saturday Market here in Eugene. Fresh lemon juice, water, sweetener, and optional fruit compotes; all shaken up by hand and served ice cold and sweet. At that time in life, the way they mixed these simple ingredients to create something so delicious seemed like an especially magical type of alchemy to me. There were multiple fruit options, but I was always a die-hard strawberry lemonade fan. Even now, I can vividly remember the way the bits of strawberries came slurping up through the straw and the way their fruity sweetness mingled with the tangy flavor of lemon. As an adult, I still love strawberry lemonade, and even though it is hard to improve on perfection, I have also discovered the joy of practicing my own kind of alchemy with it, namely by adding different herbal allies. Herbs are a beautiful way to add both depth of flavor and health benefits to a lemonade recipe. With local strawberries beginning to appear at the farmers market, it felt like the perfect time to kick off some summer lemonade crafting.

For this recipe I wanted to pay homage to my beloved home state by including local Willamette Valley strawberries as well as our new specially crafted Oregon Sunshine Tea blend, featuring Regenerative Organic Certified® herbs all grown right here in the Pacific Northwest. Formulated with kapoor tulsi, chamomile, calendula, and bee balm, this tea brings bright, aromatic, and floral flavors and pairs them with gentle relaxation support. The end result is a delicious vermillion-hued beverage bursting with tangy, herbaceous sweetness that does not disappoint!

Oregon Sunshine Strawberry Lemonade Recipe

Makes about 7 cups.

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. organic strawberries, stems removed
• 1 1/2 cups organic sugar
• 4 cups water, divided
• 1 1/2 cups fresh-squeezed organic lemon juice (approximately 7-9 lemons)
• 5 Tbsp. Regenerative Organic Certified Oregon Sunshine Tea
  
  

Directions

1. Use a food processor to puree the strawberries. If desired, strain through cheese cloth to remove seeds and pulp and set aside.
2. Add 2 cups of water and the sugar to a small saucepan, bring to a low boil stirring until sugar is dissolved.
3. Once sugar is dissolved. fully remove from heat, stir in Oregon sunshine tea, and allow to steep covered for 10-15 minutes.
4.  Strain syrup into jar, stir in strawberry puree, and allow to cool.
5. Juice lemons taking care to remove seeds and pour lemon juice into pitcher or serving container.
6.  Stir in strawberry syrup mixture and the remaining 2 cups of water. Taste lemonade and add more water until desired flavor is reached. 
7. Serve with fresh lemon slices and ice.