Mint Lemonade

This is not quick lemonade, but it is delicious! I found it in a wonderful (HUGE) cookbook called The Encyclopedia of Cajun & Creole Cuisine, by Chef John D. Folse. The recipe notes say, "This wonderful, intense beverage was created by Robert Whitehurst. His method of extracting essential oils from fresh mint is unique. This recipe requires a gallon jar with a tight-fitting lid."

Prep Time: 12 hours
Yield: 1 gallon (for the record, I made a half-recipe in 2 Mason jars, and it worked just fine)

Ingredients

1 cup fresh mint
juice of 4 lemons
1 lemon peel, thinly sliced
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
1 gallon water

Directions

1. In a saucepan, bring sugar and 2 cups water to a boil. Stir constantly until sugar dissolves, creating a simple syrup. Allow syrup to cool to room temperature.
2. Meanwhile, fill gallon jar with hot tap water (190 degrees). Allow jar to become very hot to touch, then discard water. Immediately put mint into jar and screw lid on tightly. Refrigerate, allowing jar to cool completely. A partial vacuum seal will be created when jar cools, extracting all flavorful oils from mint.
3. Remove lid from jar, then add lemon juice, lemon peel and syrup. Shake vigorously, then fill to top with water. Replace lid and allow to mature overnight.