Juneteenth Red Hibiscus Strawberry Lemonade

# What You'll Need:

→ Hibiscus Base

01 - 4 cups water

02 - 1/2 cup dried hibiscus flowers

→ Strawberry Lemonade

03 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled

04 - 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 4–6 lemons)

05 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar (or to taste)

06 - 2 cups cold water

→ Garnish (optional)

07 - Fresh strawberry slices

08 - Lemon wheels

09 - Fresh mint leaves

10 - Ice cubes

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Remove from heat, add dried hibiscus flowers, and steep for 10 minutes. Strain and discard hibiscus flowers; set the infused tea aside to cool.

02 - While the hibiscus tea cools, puree strawberries with lemon juice in a blender until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve for a smoother drink, if desired.

03 - In a large pitcher, combine strained hibiscus tea, strawberry-lemon puree, sugar, and 2 cups of cold water. Stir until sugar dissolves.

04 - Taste and adjust sweetness or tartness as desired. Add more water for a milder flavor, if preferred.

05 - Chill in the refrigerator until very cold, at least 1 hour.

06 - Before serving, stir well and serve over ice. Garnish with strawberry slices, lemon wheels, and fresh mint leaves, if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -

This lemonade gets its bold color and tang from hibiscus, which always feels a little like magic in a glass.
Fresh strawberries and lemon give it a sweet-tart kick that disappears much faster than I ever expect.

02 -

If you steep the hibiscus too long, the drink goes from bright to bitter in a flash—set a timer, trust me.
Straining the strawberry-lemon blend makes the finished lemonade silky-smooth, which I only discovered after a couple of chunky attempts.

03 -