Bite Of Minnesota: Sour Cherry Lemonade

"Refresh, replenish, and rehydrate" has been mantra over the last couple of weeks with temperatures in the 80s and the humidity reaching uncomfortable levels.

Chugging water is typically my first choice (and healthiest option), but sometimes other beverages are a little more exciting. I could reach for a beer, but I have a stash of sour cherries from my recent visit to Cherry Leaf Farm. What could be better than sour cherry lemonade?

It was super simple to prepare: crush cherries in a small saucepan to extract some juices, add a few splashes of lemonade and reduce to a syrupy consistency. Strain before adding ice and additional lemonade and voila, you have sour cherry lemonade! Keep the solids and use as a yogurt or ice cream topping. So easy, right? Heck, you can even add a little vodka, a lemon wedge, and a straw for a summertime adult beverage.

Martha Stewart has a more involved recipe here, but I found that my quickie version is just as good and so much easier.

Ingredients

64 oz. prepared lemonade (like Simply Lemonade or Newman's Own)
2 cups sour cherries
Lemon wedges, for garnish

Directions

In a small saucepan, crush cherries using a potato masher or wooden spoon to extract the juices. Add 1-2 cups prepared lemonade and bring to a boil, continuing to crush cherries occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until liquid is reduced and syrupy. Strain mixture (discard or reuse solids), add cherry/lemonade mixture to the prepared lemonade and let cool.

Serve over ice with lemon wedges.