Hyde Park, N.Y. ? Something magical happens when you combine sugar, water and lemon juice – the result is a tangy mixture of unadulterated ingredients that offers a refreshing substitute for sodas. Despite these unassuming, simple ingredients, old-fashioned lemonade can be the ultimate thirst quencher on a hot summer’s day.

Squeezing a few lemons and boiling a pot of sugar water are the only requirements to preparing a pitcher of fresh lemonade. If you are monitoring sugar intake, making lemonade from scratch provides the flexibility to add as little or as much according to your preference.

Preparing your own lemonade also allows for flavor experimentation. Add a splash of seltzer water, a dash of spice, your favorite libation or a variety of fruits. A lemon’s acidity provides an exceptional partner for countless additions.

The most flavorful lemonade starts with fresh ingredients. This is especially true for the lemon juice. If fresh lemons are unavailable, frozen juice provides a suitable substitute. Avoid reconstituted varieties, however; their flavor scarcely resembles fresh lemons.

When buying lemons, choose those that feel heavy for their size, as they yield the most juice. (Six medium-sized lemons provide about 1 cup juice.) Choose fruit that is smooth, bright yellow, and firm, but not hard – this indicates a thick rind and will make juicing a chore.

Skin should be free of blemishes and any tinge of green. Lemons can be bought in advance because they have a long shelf life. Those that are stored in the refrigerator wrapped in a plastic bag will keep for up to one month. At room temperature, lemons retain their freshness for at least a week.

Juicing lemons can be done either manually with a fluted reamer, a hand-held tool that helps to separate the juice from the pulp of citrus fruits, or with an electronic juicer.

The manual method requires more elbow grease, but it is as effective as using a machine. Like all citrus, lemons release the greatest amount of juice at room temperature, so it is worth your while to warm them if necessary.

The following recipes are from The Culinary Institute of America’s “Breakfasts and Brunches” cookbook (Lebhar-Freidman 2005, $35).

Lemonade

6 and 2/3 cups cold water

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup lemon juice

8 lemon slices for garnish

Combine 2/3 cup of water with the sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Combine the sugar-water with the lemon juice and add the remaining 6 cups of cold water. Stir to combine. Serve immediately over ice garnished with a lemon slice or store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Makes 8 servings.

Variations

¢ Raspberry Lemonade: In the ingredient list, omit the lemon slices; add 1/3 cup of raspberry puree and 24 fresh raspberries for garnish. To make the raspberry puree, push fresh or thawed frozen raspberries through a wire-mesh strainer into a small bowl. You’ll need about 1 cup of berries to make 1/3 cup puree. Add the puree to the sugar-water mixture along with the lemon juice and 6 cups of remaining cold water. Garnish each glass of lemonade with 3 fresh raspberries.

¢ Ginger Lemonade: In the ingredient list, omit the lemon slices; add a 3/4-inch piece of ginger (sliced) and 8 thin slices of ginger for garnish. To make the ginger lemonade: Combine two-thirds cup water, the sugar and the sliced 3/4-inch piece of ginger in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the ginger to steep in the sugar water for 10 minutes. Strain the mixture, pressing the ginger to extract all its juices. Combine the ginger sugar water with the lemon juice and add the remaining 6 cups of cold water. Stir to combine. Serve immediately over ice with a fresh ginger slice in each glass.