Grapefruit and Thyme Lemonade

Photo: Maria Lichty

Summer is right around the corner; it will be here before you know it! That's why I'm trying to get a jump-start on things early this year. I'm already thinking of drinks that will be both tasty and refreshing to cool me off.

When stepping outside starts to feel like stepping into a sauna, I always reach for a tall glass of lemonade with plenty of ice. I love lemonade; it's a go to for my family and I most of the summer. It's always refreshing, always delicious, and has the perfect sweet and tart combination I love, especially when the temperatures start rising. This time however I was looking for a little variation on the classic.

I came up with the perfect combination of ingredients for a new and dressed up version of lemonade. It's a bit more fancy and a whole lot of tasty! And I'm using a few ingredients that aren't your usual lemonade suspects: grapefruit and fresh thyme.

Photo: Maria Lichty

I start this lemonade by making a simple syrup from sugar and water that I infuse with fresh thyme sprigs. The infusion of the thyme into the simple syrup is unexpected. I love making my lemonades with simple syrups since it really helps fully dissolve the sugar into the water helping to make a sweet lemonade.

I add my thyme-infused simple syrup to my squeezed grapefruit and lemon juice and additional water to make the perfect lemonade! Grapefruit is a deliciously sweet and tart alternative to lemon juice. It also gives a beautiful pale pink color to the lemonade. Add some ice and a few sprigs of thyme, and it's in perfect balance!

This drink is lemonade stand-worthy. In fact, it's charge-more-than-50-cents-per-cup-worthy. I might just have to start a little side business on our street corner this summer!

Beat the heat and join me this summer by enjoying some lazy sunny afternoons sipping on delicious grapefruit thyme lemonade.

Grapefruit Thyme Lemonade

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 bunch fresh thyme sprigs (about 8), plus more for garnish
6 cups water2 1/2 cups fresh grapefruit juice, about 41/2 cup fresh lemon juice, about 1 large lemon

Bring sugar, thyme and 1 cup of water to a boil. Stir until sugar is dissolved.

Let mixture cool completely then strain into a pitcher.

Add 5 cups water, grapefruit and lemon juice and stir until well combined. Poor into individual glasses and serve with ice and a fresh thyme sprig, if desired.

Photos: Maria Lichty