Squeeze the juice from the lemons until you have about 1 cup of lemon juice, removing any seeds.

In a saucepan, combine 1 cup of sugar with 1 cup of water and heat until the sugar dissolves completely. Let it cool.

In a pitcher, mix the lemon juice, simple syrup, and 3 cups of cold water. Stir well and adjust the sweetness to taste.

Pour over ice, garnish with lemon slices and fresh mint if desired, and enjoy!

Try grilling the lemons before squeezing them. Why? It helps to deepen and intensify the lemon flavor. Preheat your grill on high heat. If placing the lemons directly on the grates, you will want to oil them. Cut the lemons in half and put them cut side down on the grates for about 5 minutes.

You can also use your broiler if you'd prefer. Once again, cut the lemons in half and place them on a baking sheet (with edges so the juice doesn't drip down onto the bottom of your oven) that has been lined with aluminum foil. Broil for approximately 15-20 minutes. To get the best results, you'll want the tops of the lemons to be blackened.