So life gave you lemons. Now, you can always or use them as a garnish on a . But if you want to stick with the classics, make lemonade.
In theory, making lemonade is simple enough: just mix sugar, water, and lemon juice. But like so many deceptively simple recipes, the ingredients, preparation, and ratio are everything. Of course, no one ratio is going to make everyone happy.
One person's perfect ratio is sickeningly sweet to another. Some popular recipes recommend a 6-to-1-to-1 ratio of water, lemon juice, and sugar, but others recommend a 4-to-1-to-1 or even 3-to-1-to-1 ratio. Remember: Once you add too much water, it's hard to go back — especially if you're out of lemons.
One solution involves making a concentrate with a 1-to-1-to-1 ratio, then diluting it until it tastes right to you. However, this method can complicate things if you're aiming for a specific amount. If you need to know how much you're making, consider a nice, neutral 4-to-1-to-1 ratio.
With this ratio, 10 cups of water, 2 1⁄2 cups of sugar, and 2 1⁄2 cups of lemon juice will make a little under a gallon. How many lemons do you need for lemonade? Now you've got the ratio down, but you still don't know if you have enough lemons. Many recipes recommend a specific number, but lemons come in many shapes and sizes.
It can be hard to tell how many you need. As a general rule, you can get around 2 to 3 tablespoons of juice from your standard, medium-sized lemon. Bigger lemons typically have more, but size i.
