1. zest the and juice the lemons. 2. In a pot over medium heat, add sugar, lemon zest, and two cups of hot water. 3. Simmer stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has a yellow hue. there's no need to boil the water. 4. Strain the lemon juice and sugar mixture into a 2 quart/1.9 liter pitcher to remove the pulp, seeds, and zest. 5. Add in 4 cups of cold water. 6. Taste for sweetness and if it's too sweet add more water a little at a time until it reaches the desired sweetness. 7. Store in the refrigerator. 8. Serve over ice in a glass garnished with lemon slices. 9. This recipe makes approximately eight 8oz/236ml glasses of lemonade.