Summer means strawberry season. Cherry season. Peach season. I celebrate each one like an extended holiday. It’s like Christmas for me when I see red ripe sweet fresh cherries for sale. I serve them in a cup, with an extra spit cup on the side. Or, in lemonade! Fresh homemade lemonade rocks because you can make it as sweet or sour as you like, strain it if you want, really personalize it to your liking. So, to celebrate cherry season I present: cherry lemonade. No artificial flavoring or anything. Just pure fresh sweet deep-red cherries.
25 fresh cherries
4-5 c water
½ c sugar
1 c fresh lemon juice (7-8 medium lemons)
Remove stems and pits from cherries. Simmer cherries, 1 cup water and sugar in saucepan over medium/low heat for 30 minutes. Pour through fine mesh strainer, discarding cherries but preserving juice. Chill juice. Add lemon juice and remaining water. Serve over ice.
