Pickle Lemonade
Recipe: https://recipestripper.com/recipes/707d3622-e9fe-49c9-a607-40cf5fde70c1
Original source: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1026873-pickle-lemonade?art=100000007823311

The tart, tangy flavor of pickles can be found across the food spectrum — from pickle-brined chicken to pickle soup and even pickle brine margaritas, it seems nearly everything is better with brine. It’s no surprise, then, that simple lemonade is improved with the addition of salty pickle brine, too. Balancing out the sweetness of lemonade’s sugar, it lifts the drink and makes it a bit more complex, with an unexpected yet familiar flavor profile. You might not immediately guess the secret ingredient, but it’s a pleasant surprise once revealed. Depending on what brand of pickles is used, adjust the flavors and add more pickle brine as you like; the level of lip-smacking tartness is up to you.
Yield: 5 cups
Prep time: PT5M
Cook time: PT15M
Total time: PT20M

Ingredients
- 7 large organic lemons (see Tip), at room temperature
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 3 cups chilled, filtered water
- 1 to 1 ¼ cups dill pickle juice (see Tip), plus pickle spears for garnish
- Ice, for serving

Instructions
1. Thinly slice 1 lemon, discard the seeds, and set aside for garnish. Roll the remaining lemons firmly against your counter top before juicing them in order to extract as much juice as possible. Quarter the lemons, then squeeze enough of the lemons into a measuring cup to get 1 cup of lemon juice. (A citrus juicer may be helpful here, if you’ve got one.) Add the squeezed lemon peels and any unsqueezed lemon pieces to a large jar, such as an 8-cup Mason jar, a wide pitcher or even a large bowl.
2. Add the sugar to the lemon peel pieces in the jar and, using a wooden spoon or a muddler, muddle together until the sugar has mostly dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Add the lemon juice to the jar, cover and shake vigorously (or stir, if your vessel doesn’t have a lid) to ensure the sugar has fully dissolved. Add the water, then add pickle juice to taste. Shake or stir to mix; then strain using a fine-mesh strainer. (To store, refrigerate up to 3 days.)
4. To serve, pour into glasses over plenty of ice. Garnish with a lemon slice and a pickle spear.