Perfect Summer Drink, Morning or Night

July 16, 2016

ruth_day_1_902I love sour cherries, love the sly way they sneak away from sweetness, and this time of year I buy them by the quart at the farmers market, bring them home, pit them (with a paper clip), and freeze them to make sour cherry crostatas when the weather’s less congenial.

But the pleasure of this particular recipe is that I don’t bother pitting the cherries.  I simply give the fruit a shower, pull off the stems and plunk them into the blender.

Sour Cherry Lemonade

1 quart sour cherries

4 lemons

1/2 cup sugar (If you like things sweet you’ll want more.  If you’re a connoisseur of sour, you might not want any sugar at all.  Give it a taste and figure out the right recipe for you.) 

1. Wash the cherries and remove the stems.

2. Put the cherries into a blender and process, pits and all, until it is a puree.

3. Strain the cherries in a sieve using the back of a ladle to press on the cherries.  Discard the solids.

4. Squeeze the lemons.

5. Pour the puree into a pitcher and stir in the lemon juice and sugar.

6. When you are ready to drink the cherry-lemonade, pour into a glass and add water (or  sparkling water), to taste. Want to make it a cocktail? Add vodka or gin and top with a sprig of mint.

The puree keeps for 2 days in the refrigerator.

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5 Comments

  • Gerlinde says:

    I love sour cherries. You can not buy them here in Nothern California. I have a friend with a tree that sometimes shares her extras. The last time I made marmelade. If she shares this year I will make this lemonade. I bought your My Kitchen Year book yesterday and can’t put it down. It reflects your passion and love for food . What a beautiful book, thank you.

  • Nancy says:

    Someone out there please start freezing commercially sour cherries. They are not available here in s/e Virginia or n/e North Carolina.

  • Ruth says:

    Costco sells frozen organic sour cherries in bags. They aren’t always available (of course), but its worth asking about if you have a Costco nearby.

  • Ooh this sounds brilliant, wish sour cherries were common here. I might try it when our fresh, sweet cherries come in season around December.

  • Ooo! Cherry lemonade is one I hadn’t thought of before! Thanks so much for the idea and the recipe! 🙂

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