# What You Need:
→ Fruit & Herbs
01 - 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
02 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves, plus extra for garnish
03 - 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 4–6 lemons)
→ Sweetener
04 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar (or honey/agave for vegan/variation)
→ Water
05 - 5 cups cold water
06 - 1 cup ice cubes, plus more for serving
→ Garnish (optional)
07 - Strawberry slices
08 - Lemon slices
09 - Fresh basil sprigs
# Steps:
01 - In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup water and sugar over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
02 - In a blender, combine strawberries, basil leaves, and the cooled simple syrup. Blend until smooth.
03 - Strain the strawberry-basil mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a large pitcher, pressing to extract as much juice as possible.
04 - Add the freshly squeezed lemon juice and 4 cups cold water to the pitcher. Stir well to combine.
05 - Add ice cubes and stir again. Taste and adjust sweetness or lemon to preference.
06 - Serve in glasses filled with additional ice, garnished with strawberry slices, lemon slices, and basil sprigs as desired.
