Georgian Tarkhuna Tarragon Lemonade

Wash the fresh tarragon properly and pull off the leaves from the tougher stalks. Combine the tarragon leaves with sugar and 240 ml (1 cup) water in a small saucepan. Bring it to a simmer over medium heat, stirring here and there so the sugar dissolves—let it bubble softly for about 5 minutes. The color shifts to that sage green I adore.

Take the mixture off the heat and let it steep, fully covered lako mama dakareba—leave it be for 2 hours. For an Instagram‑ready deep green, you can sneak in a high‑speed blitz now and then keep overnight.

Strain the syrup through a fine sieve or cheesecloth into a jar. Squeeze as much of that syrupy goodness as possible. Refrigerate until properly cold, about 2 hours.

Juice your two lemons to get around 5 tablespoons. If you feel their acid soften quickly—just add a few drops.

Fill eight glasses with ice cubes. Add 2 tablespoons of the tarragon syrup and a squeeze of fresh lemon to each. Top with sparkling mineral water, around 120 ml (1/2 cup) per glass—more if you skip.

Stir brief like you are blessing the glass. Drop in a fresh tarragon sprig as Georgian hospitality demands. Serve immediately while bubbles dance.