Make the simple syrup. In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup water and ¾ cup granulated sugar. Heat over medium, stirring occasionally, until the sugar fully dissolves. The mixture will go from cloudy to clear once the sugar has dissolved. This takes about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

While the syrup cools, squeeze enough lemons to get 1 cup of fresh lemon juice. Strain through a mesh sieve to remove seeds and pulp.

Hull the strawberries, then blend or puree them until smooth. Pour the puree through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. You should end up with about ¾ cup of strained strawberry puree. This part takes a little elbow grease, especially with a fine mesh sieve, but it’s worth it! If you don’t mind seeds and a more rustic texture, you can skip straining the strawberry puree and add it straight to the lemonade.

In a large pitcher, stir together the cooled simple syrup, lemon juice, strawberry puree, and 5 cups of cold water. Give it a taste—add more water for a lighter flavor, or more lemon juice if you like it tart.