Ingredients :

• Fresh mint — Hierbabuena (spearmint) gives a more subtle and pleasant result than an overly aggressive peppermint — if you have the choice at the market, take it. Fresh mint should smell strong when you approach the bouquet; if it barely smells, it’s tired and will give little flavor. Ten leaves is the base: you can go up to fifteen if the stems are small.
• Lemons — Two medium thin-skinned lemons, not the big thick-skinned ones that give half the juice. Roll them on the countertop before cutting — you’ll feel the skin crackle slightly under your palm, and that breaks the internal membranes to release more juice. Avoid bottled juice: it doesn’t taste the same at all, too flat, too acidic without the complexity of fresh fruit.
• Honey — Optional, but useful if you’re serving this to people who don’t expect something acidic. A teaspoon is enough — no more, otherwise you lose the tonic side of the lemon. Acacia honey works well because it dissolves easily in cold liquid, unlike some crystallized honeys that stay in blocks.