Make use of fresh, seasonal berries and mix up a batch of sweet, tart Summer Berry Lemonade. This refreshing beverage is perfect for your summer parties!
This post is part of a Rubbermaid #Freshworks sponsored series for Socialstars™
It has been a sweltering 85+ degrees in our neck of the woods for the past couple of weeks. Maybe too hot for some, but this girl is HAPPY!
My mood is instantly lifted as I walk out the door and down the driveway each morning to pick up the newspaper (are we the only people left on the planet that still get the newspaper?). The birds are singing, the skies are bright blue, and there is still some coolness to the morning air. It’s a glorious thing.
I’ve definitely got that “4th of July” feeling. Do you know that feeling? For me, it is filled with memories of running through the sprinklers, grabbing Rice Krispie Treat Ice Cream Sandwiches out of the extra freezer in our garage, and an old-fashioned BBQ on our patio. Just as soon as the sky was dark, the day was capped off with a fireworks display put on by my Dad and my brother, Jim. They worked their way through our big kit of fireworks in the middle of our street for all the neighbors, accompanied by a chorus of ooooh’s and aaaaah’s from my big family. And, of course, there had to be sparklers. Lots and lots of sparklers!
I hope that whatever you’ve got planned, you are creating some new, lasting memories for your family. You don’t need to travel anywhere exotic, your own backyard is perfect. Simple food, old-fashioned family gatherings, and lots of laughter. These are the things that stick like glue. It is important to remember that it is the simplest of things that will create the best memories of childhood.
Fresh summer berries are one of the best aspects of this time of year and I’ve been stocking up each and every week. Thanks to our Rubbermaid® Freshworks™ Produce Saver containers, they’ve stayed fresh and delicious until every last berry has been consumed. I’ve had these containers now for several months and just the other day as my husband was reaching into our fridge to snitch a strawberry, he commented on how awesome they are. In my 30+ year history with this man, I don’t believe I’ve ever heard him express feelings for storage containers. It was kind of a big moment. But, I totally get it – berries are such a big part of our summer menu and these containers have been keeping them as fresh as they day we bought them through the entire week. The FreshVent™ technology will keep your produce fresher up to 80% longer when compared to store packaging.
These BPA-free, dishwasher safe containers have a solid place in my kitchen collection. They are available in three sizes – small: $9.99, medium: $12.99, and large: $15.99. The small and medium containers are the perfect size for berries, while the large container is big enough to hold an entire head of lettuce or a large bag of salad greens.
I’ve been setting the containers out each morning so we can add fresh berries to our breakfast of choice – oatmeal, cereal, waffles, yogurt. I’ve been tossing them into salads and most recently, I mixed up a pitcher of this Summer Berry Lemonade. It is THE perfect summer beverage for your long holiday weekend.
It’s quite simple to put together and it will add a delicious, old-fashioned aspect to your gathering.
How to Make Summer Berry Lemonade
You’ll need to grab your food processor or blender and puree 2 cups of berries – I went with blackberries and raspberries, but you could use any mixture of berries you’d like.
Place a wire mesh colander over a small bowl to strain the berry puree. Use a spoon to push the puree down through the wire mesh, capturing the pulp and seeds which you can toss.
You’ll be left with this gorgeous, silky berry puree that will blend perfectly into your lemonade.
Combine the berry puree in a pitcher with homemade simple syrup and fresh squeezed lemon juice.
To really amp up the fresh summer vibe, garnish the lemonade with additional fresh berries and lemon slices.
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Summer Berry Lemonade
Ingredients
Berry Puree:
- 1 cup fresh blackberries
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
Lemonade:
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 8 to 10 lemons, you’ll need 1 cup juice
- 4 cups water, or to taste
- Additional berries and lemon slices, for garnish
Instructions
Berry Puree
- Process blackberries and raspberries in a blender or food processor until smooth. Place a wire mesh colander over a small bowl and pour the berry puree into the colander, pushing it through the wire mesh and into the bowl with the back of a spoon. Cover bowl and refrigerate puree until ready to make lemonade. Can be made several days in advance.
Berry Lemonade
- Add the sugar and water to a medium saucepan and place over MEDIUM heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for several minutes until sugar has dissolved. Remove pan from the heat and pour simple syrup into a container and place in your freezer to cool down quickly while you juice the lemons. The simple syrup can be prepared several days in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator and it will keep well for several weeks.
- Juice enough lemons to yield 1 cup of lemon juice and add the lemon juice to a pitcher. Mix in cooled simple syrup, berry puree, and 4 cups water. Stir well. Taste and add additional water, if needed. I like mine to be a bit tart and strong flavored as it will be diluted a bit when served over ice. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Serve over ice. For a pretty effect, garnish with slices of lemon and additional fresh berries.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
OMG! This recipe is Soo amazing! It tastes great and looks awesome too! My family loved it! It definitely has has a great summer vibe.??
Wow these look amazing! Even though the weather hasn’t been great where I am im going to have to give these a try!
What a gorgeous color from that berry puree!
Love it!! What a perfect summer drink. Looks soooo refreshing!
I want to sip on this this weekend! It looks amazing!
This lemonade looks perfect for summertime sipping! 🙂 And I will have to check out those containers. Our berries often go to mush before we get to eat them all. :/
This looks amazing! I am a lemonade fanatic during the summer (I love 85 degree days too! I love bright, sunny days!) and all of these berries in this recipe are gorgeous!
It has been pretty hot here too. I will definitely be slurping down a few of these to keep it cool.