Beat the Heat: Rose Hip Lemonade

Ah, the dreaded, muggy summer in Washington, D.C. It never fails to disappoint in its drippiness, does it?

You may have heard that spicy foods help lower your body temperature by triggering your sweat glands and cooling your body, but if the thought of sweating even more than you already are doesn’t appeal to you, try out this cooling lemonade.

Rose hips, in addition to being great for your skin and containing loads of vitamin C, are naturally cooling, due to their flavonoids and fruit acids. Curiously, in Western herbal traditions, rose hips are widely known for their cooling and drying effects, while Chinese herbalism classifies rose hips to be distinctly warming - perhaps because they're associated with passion? In any case, this lemonade certainly cooled me off after a humid day. If you're afraid of the lemonade tasting too floral, worry not - the rose hips are more fruity with sour-sweet notes, and only a hint of flowers. And, sweetened with agave nectar, this lemonade is definitely better for you than the lemonades of my youth. Give it a shot!                                    

Rose Hip Lemonade

1 tablespoon dried rose hips, or more to taste
1/2 cup agave nectar (could also use honey, maple syrup, or sugar)
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 4 to 6 lemons)

In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup of water and the rose hips to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat, cover, and steep for 30 minutes. Strain and discard the rose hips, then stir in the agave nectar. Set aside to cool. This can be done a few days in advance, and the syrup stored in the refrigerator. 

When ready to make the lemonade, mix the lemon juice with 1 1/2 cups water in a small pitcher. Add 1/2 cup of the rose hip syrup, stir, and taste. Dilute with more water or add more syrup if you like. Reserve any remaining rose hip syrup and add to soda water or cocktails, or drizzle on pancakes or ice cream. 

Yield: About 3 cups lemonade. Recipe easily doubles or triples. 

This post is part of our series on drinks. For others in the series check out:
Spiced Sorrel Juice for Caribbean-American Heritage Month
DIY Infusions: Modern Mixology 101
Beat the Heat: Rose Hip Lemonade