Blackberry Lemonade

Week 485. Year 10. Tommy is 43. Summer heat. The kind that makes the attic work brutal and the evening grill essential and the cold beer a medical necessity. Rémy (13) in school, cooking and fishing. Fishing trips continue — the bayou, the marsh, the same water that Joey fished and that Rémy fishes now with the same cast and the same patience and the different hands that hold the same rod.

Made smoked chicken this week — the kind of food that fills the house with the smell of Louisiana and the knowledge that whoever walks through the door is walking into a home where the stove is on and the food is ready and the welcome is unconditional. The meal was the day. The day was the meal. Both were good. Come eat, cher.

You can’t smoke chicken in Louisiana heat and not have something cold waiting on the other side of it — the cold beer does the job, sure, but when Rémy walks in from a day of fishing and the house is already warm and fragrant, sometimes what the moment needs is a tall glass of something bright and sweet and alive. This blackberry lemonade is what I pour when the food is almost done and the people I love are almost home — it’s the drink that says the same thing the meal says: come in, sit down, you’re welcome here.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 5 min | Total Time: 20 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

2 cups fresh or frozen blackberries
1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 6–8 lemons)
3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
4 cups cold water
1 cup sparkling water or still water (to finish)
1/2 cup water (for blackberry syrup)
Ice, for serving
Fresh blackberries and lemon slices, for garnish

Instructions

Make the blackberry syrup. Combine blackberries, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir and cook for 5 minutes until berries break down and sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
Strain the syrup. Pour the blackberry mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl or pitcher, pressing the solids to extract all the juice. Discard the pulp. Set the syrup aside.
Make the lemonade base. In a large pitcher, combine lemon juice and remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. Add 4 cups cold water and stir to combine.
Combine and adjust. Pour the blackberry syrup into the lemonade and stir well. Taste and add more sugar or lemon juice as needed to balance sweetness and tartness.
Serve. Fill glasses with ice, pour the lemonade over, and top with a splash of sparkling water if desired. Garnish with fresh blackberries and a lemon slice.

Nutrition (per serving)

Blackberry Lemonade — The Cold Glass That Makes a Hot Louisiana Summer Worth It