End of Summer Lemonade

The end of summer is upon us. That means I have a fairly matured thyme plant on my front porch, and summer berries are relatively inexpensive. So of course, if summer gives you thyme and berries, you make lemonade. Everyone knows that.

Labor Day is over, but until the end of September, it is still technically summer. Let's enjoy it while we can and not get too excited for Fall yet. Because when it arrives, I'll be the most enthusiastic participant in the season, believe me.

This is an easy refreshment for these last hot days of summer. 

Ingredients:

3-4 lemons, sliced in half

1 pint blueberries

4-6 sprigs of fresh thyme

Sweetener of choice: I used stevia extract to keep it sugar-free for Dave, but honey or maple syrup would be delicious (melt it and mix it with the lemon juice before adding any ice, to ensure the sugar crystals have incorporated with the liquid)

Water and ice

A mesh strainer

Directions: 

Get your pitcher ready. I used a vintage glass pitcher I found at a thrift store. So cute, and only $1. 

Squeeze the lemons into the pitcher through the mesh strainer, to catch any seeds.

Add 10-16 drops of stevia extract, or to taste. If using maple syrup, honey, or other natural sweetener, melt it and stir it in with the lemon juice now.

Add water at the ratio of 2:1 water to lemon juice.

Take a few sprigs of your thyme and pull the leaves from the stem, crushing or mincing them with a knife before adding them into the sweetened lemon juice, along with the remaining whole sprigs. (I actually skipped the crushing and just added he thyme whole, but the flavor would have been better incorporated had I allowed the essential oils to be release by crushing/mincing.)

Now just add your blueberries: all whole, or some whole and some crushed for more color/flavor incorporation, and ice. Stir, taste, and adjust lemon juice / sweetener / water as needed.

Serve immediately or chill in the fridge for a few hours and the flavors will meld and be even more vibrant.

Relish the last of summer. If you make this, be sure to sit outside somewhere when there's a light breeze and nice view and be thankful for the time and place you're in.