WINTER LEMONADE: Mandarin Mint

Mandarin Oranges and Clementines are one of my favorite things about the winter produce season. My kids, and myself for that matter, can eat dozens of clementines a week. It’s always so sad when they stop appearing on the grocery store shelves. Time to make the most of them, right?

This lemonade does just that. Mandarins have such a concentrated sweet flavor that is more intense than a regular orange, so I thought they would be delicious in a lemonade. And I obviously have some sort of obsession with lemonade. And, as with every lemonade I make, I think this one might be my new favorite.

Most homemade lemonades are simple enough, as is this one. It starts with a lemonade base, a simple syrup made of fresh lemon juice, sugar, and water. That’s cooled and mixed with juiced mandarin oranges(clementines work too!) and crushed mint. I used a new, white mortar and pestle to crush the mint for these lemonades. Now the bowl is stained green. But it was totally worth it.

Mint and mandarin are dreamy together. I think I’ll be freezing mandarin juice just so I can drink this all summer long.

More Lemonade:

Watermelon Cantaloupe Lemonade

Frozen Blackberry Basil Lemonade

Meyer Lemon Vanilla Spice Lemonade

Coconut Peach Lemonade Slushies

Cranberry Blood Orange Lemonade

Sparkling Peach Mint Lemonade

Strawberry Coconut Lemonade

Cherry Pineapple Lemonade

WINTER LEMONADE: Mandarin Mint

 

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Serves: Serves 4.

Ingredients

• 1 C. Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
• 1 C. Sugar
• 1 C. Water
• ½ C. Freshly Squeezed Mandarin Orange or Clementine Juice
• 12 Mint Leaves
• Water, to dilute

Instructions

1. Combine the lemon juice, sugar, and water in a saucepan and bring just to a boil.
2. Remove from heat and let cool. Pour into an airtight container and chill completely.
3. Crush the mint leaves using a mortar and pestle.
4. Combine the chilled lemonade base, crushed mint leaves and mandarin juice. Add water to taste.
5. Serve over ice.

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