BERRY JALAPENO LEMONADE

I have these weird times, were I want something specific and then I make it a bunch of different ways. Recently, Ive been on this lemonade high. We always have lemons in my house, and we always have sugar because we are coffee addicts, so it was only right to put 2 and 2 together. Even one of my friends called me days later, praising the lemonade experience he had come in contact with in my living room. Go me! With my headphones blasting and cruising the produce aisle in my neighborhood grocery store recently, strawberries were plentiful (and on sale) so immediately, strawberry lemonade came to mind.  I get home and realize I have blueberries, cool, I can add those in as well... but then I see I have jalapeños in the house as well. Hmmmm..I say to myself as I begin to process how I can bring this all together. The jalapeño adds the heat only at the end of the lemonade, by letting it sit for only a few minutes and then re-adding it as a garnish in your glass.  Of course you can adjust the sugar to your preference but I advise that you make the lemonade a little on the sweeter side, due to the ice watering it down. 

STRAWBERRY BLUEBERRY JALAPEÑO LEMONADE

8 ripe lemons, cut in half 

1/2 pint blueberries, washed 

1 carton of strawberries, washed and tops cut off

1/2 jalapeño, washed and  thinly sliced 

cold water 

sugar 

In a medium bowl with a strainer, squeeze lemons. Reserve 1/2 of a lemon to thinly slice as garnish and set aside.  Pour freshly squeezed lemon juice in your desired pitcher.  Reserve 6 strawberries for garnish and set aside. In the same medium bowl, smash strawberries into a puree and pass through a strainer.  Add 1/4 of the blueberries, mash into a puree and press through the strainer as well. Add puree to the lemon juice, and add desired amount of cold water and sugar. Add 2-4 slices of jalapeño to the pitcher and stir until sugar is dissolved.  Let sit for 5 minutes. Remove the jalapeño slices after 5 minutes. In a glass, add remaining whole blueberries,  some sliced strawberries, a lemon slice, ice and 2 slices of jalapeños. Pour lemonade over fruit and ice and enjoy!