Ok, so the first time I tried this was definitely because of the color - beautiful lavender color. But I think lavender is one of the most underused and misunderstood herbs. I love it in baked goods, I use Herbs de Provence in place of Italian seasoning blends in many of my dishes, because I think the lavender just adds a little "something"
1 1/2cupsfresh squeezed lemon juice - Approx. 6 lemons
1 1/2 cupwater
1cupsugar
3cupscold sparkling water
1cuphoney
2tlavender buds - fresh or dried
Instructions
Prepare honey lavender syrup by combining 1 1/2 cup water, 1 cup honey, and lavender buds in a saucepan and bring to a boil. As soon as it boils remove from heat and let sit for about 15 - 20 minutes.
Combine sugar and water in a saucepan. Bring the water and sugar to a boil, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Allow simple syrup to cool, and then refrigerate.
Strain syrup through a fine-mesh sieve, or a strainer lined with cheesecloth or a coffee filter. Discard lavender.
Juice the lemons (you want about 1 1/2 cups of lemon juice). You can strain the juice if you would like pulp-free lemonade.
Let honey lavender syrup cool to room temperature then transfer to a large pitcher and add lemon juice and mix well. Chill until ready to serve.
To serve add 3 cups of plain sparkling water (low mineral content) and serve immediately over ice.
Notes
You can adjust the proportions of lemon juice to honey lavender syrup to change the sweetness or tartness of the lemonade depending on your preference.More ways to customize your lemonade.