Lemonade is extremely alkalizing to the body.  I drink it every day.  Lemonade is useful even in the autumn, it can translate into Wassail which is a favorite drink of many. 

I was at a World's Fair when I saw a vendor making fresh squeezed lemonade with the entire lemon.  I found that fascinating since I was using 12-16 lemons to make a gallon of lemonade a week.  Now I use only 6 lemons, because I facilitate the entire lemon.  I do not think it became "do-able" however, until the Ninja appeared in many U.S kitchens.  The Ninja is like a blender, more like a K-Tech blender in my mind, and has three blades going up the router.  This is good news for those wanting to macerate lemons like I do.  I have not tried apples yet, but you can bet that is coming next!

Choice of lemon can matter.  I have noticed buying bright lemons is best and that pale lemons seem to be bitter.  It does matter.   Bright lemons impart a very slight essential oil which is also very good for you.  Lemon oil in slight amounts is a tonic.  I think pale lemons are lacking in a lot of attributes.  Organic is great, but washing a good lemon with a natural liquid soap can be just fine.  A Ninja type blender is probably needed and a few large vessels for straining twice.  It would be very difficult to give lemons a hard time with a small chopper and maybe impossible with an average blender.

The result of all this effort?  Really good tasting lemonade.

Lemonade Recipe Using Whole Lemons - Makes 3/4 Gallon

6 Bright Lemons washed, cut in half

3/4 Gallon of Distilled Water

Use enough water to fill up the Ninja for the first round of lemons.  I can macerate all 6 lemons in mine on the first shot.  Leave head space when adding water-like two inches at least.Macerate the lemons in the water using a Ninja type blender.  

Use a chinois to strain.  A chinois is a very fine strainer often used by French chefs.  If you do not have a chinois, use a permanent type coffee filter-the metal mesh kind.     A paper coffee filter may be too fine and not work out well.  Recently I found it is faster to use a normal mesh strainer, on the first round--(I can get it all strained in one fell swoop) and then re-strain with a chinois.  You may need a few large vessels for the straining.

Sweetener - You can sweeten your lemonade a lot of different ways.  I use a few teaspoons of white stevia powder, or two cups of Splenda, or at least two cups of sugar - depending on what I have on hand.  The strained remnants of the lemon go down the garbage disposal very well.   

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