American Grilled Lemonade with Charred Lemons and Fresh Thyme

Make a quick syrup: warm the sugar and 250ml water in a small pan, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Drop in 2 thyme sprigs, take off the heat and leave to infuse while you grill.

Ingredients

• Makes 4 glasses:
• 6 lemons, halved
• 120g sugar
• 250ml water (for the syrup)
• 750ml cold water
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more to garnish
• Plenty of ice

Instructions

1. Make a quick syrup: warm the sugar and 250ml water in a small pan, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Drop in 2 thyme sprigs, take off the heat and leave to infuse while you grill.
2. Heat a grill or griddle pan to high. Lay the lemon halves cut-side down and grill for 3-4 minutes until deeply charred and caramelised — the heat mellows the sourness and adds a smoky depth.
3. Set aside 4 charred lemon halves for garnish. Squeeze the juice from the rest (you want about 250ml); a wooden reamer makes quick work of the soft grilled fruit.
4. Strain the grilled lemon juice into a large jug to catch the pips.
5. Strain the thyme syrup into the jug and stir to combine.
6. Top up with the cold water, stir, and taste — add a little more syrup if you like it sweeter or more water to loosen.
7. Fill glasses with ice and pour over the grilled lemonade.
8. Garnish each with a charred lemon half and a sprig of fresh thyme, and serve ice-cold.
9. Grilled lemonade is a clever backyard twist on the great American summer staple. Charring the lemons before juicing does two things: it caramelises their natural sugars and tames their sharp acidity, giving the finished drink a rounder, smokier, almost honeyed flavour you simply cannot get from raw fruit. It is a trick that turns up at cookouts and farm-to-table restaurants alike, often paired — as here — with a whisper of fresh herb like thyme, basil or rosemary. Cloudy, golden and gently smoky, this alcohol-free cooler is the most refreshing thing to hand round while the coals are still glowing.