Herbal Brainstorm Rosemary-Raspberry Lemonade

Submitted by Chef Sunshine

"This beautiful, refreshing drink is a fusion of herbs, flowers and good old-fashioned lemonade. It can be served iced or warm, and it really gives a nice lift to the brain. A great party drink, this treat can be sipped on a hot summer day."

 

• Ready In: 30mins
• Ingredients: 7
• Serves: 4-6

ingredients

• 1 quart water
• 1⁄4 cup fresh rosemary leaves or 1/8 cup dry rosemary
• 3 medium lemons
• 1⁄4 - 1⁄2 cup honey or 1/4-1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup fresh raspberries or 1 cup frozen raspberries
• ice cube
• fresh edible flower (to garnish)

directions

1. Make a rosemary infusion:.
2. Measure out 1-2 ounces (about 1/2-1 cup) of dried herbs per quart of boiling water. If using fresh herbs, double the amount of plant material. Combine the herbs in a pot.
3. Pour 1 quart of boiling water over the herbs.
4. Strain, and sweeten lightly with honey if desired.
5. Make the lemonade:.
6. After the rosemary infusion. Stir, cover and allow to steep for 15-20 minutes.
7. Strain out the rosemary leaves, and add the fresh lemon and honey or maple syrup. Stir well and transfer to a festive glass bowl.
8. Add the raspberries and ice cubes, and garnish with a few sprinkles of edible flowers such as basil blossoms, borage, calendula, lavender, rose petals or nasturtiums).

Reviews

[Linky]

I used the amount of rosemary listed in the ingredients (rather than the amount in the directions) and the rosemary flavor was very intense. Maybe I let it steep too long. As my DH said, it was interesting. It sure looked pretty! I'll try this again with less time for steeping the rosemary!

 

[CraftScout]

I brought this to a potluck, and the ladies all raved about it! I used fresh rosemary from my garden, and the flavor that it added was very subtle, mostly herby, but when identified, it was a really nice addition to the lemonade. This tasted very sophisticated. Thank you so much for posting!

 

[Thorsten]

A MUST try Lemonade. It is very easy to make and the outcome is great. You have the full flavor of rosemary with the fruity sour taste of lemons. I have used less honey to sweeten the lemonade and this works very well and supports the herbal flavors a lot. The slight bitterness is very refreshing. It is completed by the sweet fruity taste of raspberries. Next time I will try it with blueberries. They might be a great alternative for raspberries, because I like them with rosmary. This lemonade is a great start of a party or dinner - try it! Thanks for sharing this unusual and exciting lemonade, which causes really a brainstorm.