This Honey Rosemary Lemonade is dedicated to all of my pregnant friends who are desperately craving a cocktail this summer. I was pregnant during the summer and boy was it tough! There are definitely times when booze would help a tough pregnant situation. Like…when you can’t sleep at night because it takes you over an hour to find the right position, a hot toddy would help. If someone asks you if you’re carrying twins and you’re NOT, Jack Daniels would come to your rescue! When you’re at a party & your husband is getting tipsy and you overhear him bragging about how awesome it is to have a BUILT-IN DESIGNATED DRIVER, booze would help. You would no longer have to drive his drunk butt home! Let me be clear that booze would not help if you have heartburn. Booze would not help with the getting up every hour to pee situation. Booze does not help when you are gestating. That’s a fact.

So this is where this Honey Rosemary Lemonade enters the picture. It’s slightly herbal, fancy and super tasty. It will make any pregnant woman feel normal again. It’s like non-alcoholic beer, but better. But you really don’t have to be pregnant to enjoy this…you can be a thirsty person looking for something refreshing to sip on! If you’re not pregnant and want to be naughty, add some Strawberry Infused Vodka or gin up in. Just do what I do and dedicate a shot to your pregnant friends; it shows them that you care.

And we’re off!

Gather your ingredients!

It all starts with the rosemary simple syrup. It needs to steep, so do this 1 1/2 hours before you plan on drinking.

Rosemary sugar, water. Done.

Get it boiling, then stop and let it sit. Steep, baby STEEP.

Juice those lemons!  I juiced mine into a big measuring cup with a reamer.

See? That citrus squeezer thing didn’t work so well for me.

Then I strained the juice into a jar so it wasn’t all pulpy.

I added the juice to a pitcher with a few lemon slices & set aside.

When you’re ready to serve, add the honey to the rosemary syrup.

MIX, then pour it in your pitcher with a strainer. You don’t want rosemary in there.

Get some ice & serve up your bevies!

A sprig is pretty and a lemon slice seals the deal.

Like the idea of Rosemary in a drink? Try these Peach Rosemary Spritzers. Cheers!

Honey Rosemary Lemonade

Serves 4

(recipe from The Good Stuff Cookbook, by Spike Mendelsohn)

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary , plus more for garnish
• 1/2 cup honey
• juice from 7 lemons
• lemon slices , for garnish

Heat 1 cup of water, sugar and 2 rosemary sprigs in a pot over medium heat and bring to a boil. Let boil for 7 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover and let steep for 1 1/2 hours.

Once cool, add the honey, lemon juice and 3 cups of water (add additional water to taste). Remove the rosemary sprigs. Strain the lemonade into a pitcher and chill. Serve garnished with fresh rosemary sprigs and lemon slices.