Cherry Ginger spritz

Cool it down


The best thing about summer (next to the good weather) is the abundance of fruits. Not everyone drinks alcohol, so it’s only fair that a few of the drinks this month are virgins.  I will say that when I opened the refrigerator and saw a box of cherries I was quite happy.  This drink is easier than ever, and very tasty. It’s the perfect complement to a hotdog and potato salad.

Speaking of abundance of fruits, a few weeks ago our Jamaican otaheite apple tree ripened bearing much fruit. Very ripe, very sweet, so much so that we couldn’t eat them all, my mother made a juice with them. The juice she made was  pretty much this exact juice recipe minus the cherries and the seltzer water. But it was so delicious, and it served as the inspiration for this drink. If the apples were not all gone I would have made it for this post.

I remember the days when my mother use to make cherry juice from Jamaican cherries (acerola cherries). Those cherries were made for juicing, I have not seen them in years, we use to have a tree but it died. I had to settle for the American variation because I have no idea where to find the acerola varieties or if their even in season. Surprisingly enough though, the juice has a similar flavor to the drink made with Jamaican cherries, even the color is that pale pink.

One thing I will say, the cherries or the apple (if you choose to use apples instead) are very subtle in their flavor, too much ginger will mask them completely, that’s why I only use a small bit about the size of the top of your thumb. If you use too much ginger it will basically be a pink ginger drink. But use the right amount and see how it just accentuates the flavors, especially with the lime. It’s really one to try

“Drunkability”:  0 Zero chance

Serves 4

Ingredients (printable recipe)

1 ounce ginger

24 cherries

1 lime (juice)

2/3 cups white sugar

1 cup water

Seltzer water to finish

Instructions

• Peel ginger
• Remove seeds from cherries
• Place ginger, cherries, sugar lime juice and 1 cup of water in a blender and blend into a fine mixture
• Strain the liquid thoroughly and discard the pulp
• Optional: Strain a second time to get rid of excess pulp
• Divide the mixture into four portions and place in four drinking glasses
• Fill the glass with crush ice and pour over seltzer water
• Stir and enjoy

Greedy tips:

• Make sure to fill the cup with crushed ice to the brim. Once you add the seltzer the volume of the ice will decrease
• If you want it even more kicked up, cut the sugar to 1/3 cup and use sprite or 7up instead of plain seltzer water.

Xoxo Greedygirl