ليموناضة ورد

Lemonade Ward

📍 Lebanese Coastal 🍽 Drinks ⏱ Easy

Beirut street lemonade elevated with rose water — fresh lemon juice, sugar syrup, sparkling or still water, and a measured pour of rose water that transforms a simple lemonade into something specifically, irreducibly Lebanese.

Beirut street lemonade is already famous — the Lebanese squeeze their lemons fresh, add the right amount of sugar, and serve it with such consistency that it tastes identical across a hundred different street carts. The addition of rose water is the coastal refinement: a flourish that takes something perfect and makes it more than perfect. It is sold outside the American University of Beirut, along the Corniche, and at every summer beach club from Jounieh to Tyre. Lebanese students abroad who grew up drinking it before afternoon classes recreate it with some approximation but always say the Lebanese version is different — it is the lemons, which are more aromatic, and the rose water, which is fresher.

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Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Make simple syrup: combine sugar and water in a small saucepan, heat until sugar dissolves completely. Cool.
  2. Juice all lemons — you need approximately 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice.
  3. Combine lemon juice, simple syrup, rose water, and cold (or sparkling) water. Stir well.
  4. Taste and adjust: more lemon for tartness, more syrup for sweetness, more rose water for florality.
  5. Fill glasses with ice. Pour lemonade over.
  6. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint. Serve immediately.

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Step-by-step voice narration guides you hands-free. Faten's Idlib recipes carry her own Syrian-Arabic narration. Charbel Rouhana's original oud plays during Cooking Mode.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Lemonade Ward?

Beirut street lemonade elevated with rose water — fresh lemon juice, sugar syrup, sparkling or still water, and a measured pour of rose water that transforms a simple lemonade into something specifically, irreducibly Lebanese.

Where is Lemonade Ward from?

Lemonade Ward comes from Lebanese Coastal. Sofra documents this recipe as part of its 214-recipe Lebanese and Syrian heritage collection, including 49 dishes from Idlib province.

Is Lemonade Ward vegetarian or vegan?

As written, Lemonade Ward uses only plant-based ingredients, so it is suitable for both vegetarian and vegan diets. Always double-check the full ingredient list against your own dietary needs.

What can I use instead of fresh lemons in Lemonade Ward?

The fresh lemons called for here is part of the traditional recipe and gives Lemonade Ward its authentic character, so keep it if you can. If you must substitute, choose the closest equivalent you have on hand and adjust to taste — the dish will shift slightly from the traditional version but still work. The Sofra app lists the full ingredient set and sourcing notes.

What do I serve with Lemonade Ward?

In a Lebanese drinks spread, Lemonade Ward is served as a refreshment on its own, warm or chilled as the recipe directs.

Can I make Lemonade Ward ahead, and how do I store leftovers?

This can be made ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator. Stir or shake before serving, and adjust sweetness or dilution to taste.

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