Refreshing Mint Lemonade Soda

1.In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and 1 cup of water. Heat over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely to create a simple syrup. Remove from heat and let it cool.

2.In a blender, combine the fresh lemon juice and mint leaves. Blend until the mint is finely chopped and well mixed with the lemon juice.

3.Strain the lemon-mint mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a large pitcher to remove the mint solids, pressing down to extract as much liquid as possible.

4.Add the cooled simple syrup to the pitcher and stir well to combine.

5.Pour in the sparkling water and gently stir to mix without losing too much carbonation.

6.Fill glasses with ice cubes and pour the mint lemonade soda over the ice.

7.Garnish each glass with a slice of lemon and a sprig of mint before serving.