Our favorite season – cherry season – is here again! Coryanne from our Kitchen Council is kicking off a summer of cherry-centric posts with a simple cherry syrup recipe using our delicious California-grown Stemilt cherries (which you can find in stores now). Enjoy!
Juicy, sweet, tangy and crisp, cherries welcome in the summer months in a way that no other fruit can. I’m a sucker for the first cherry of the season. The moment I see them in the grocery store I start dreaming of all the things I will make, and those fabulous red stained fingertips that emerge once we start snacking on them.
Cherry syrup is almost always the first thing we make because it offers so many options. It is such a simple recipe that it practically cooks itself making it easy to put away those sugary store bought jars; so easy in fact that my children are now grand masters at making it. We love it in and on everything from ice cream, cocktails, milkshakes, smoothies, and yogurt; or even a small splash to jazz up those often too sweet Shirley Temples that my children never tire of.
Whipping up a batch of homemade Shirley Temples is as quick as adding a splash of fresh cherry syrup to a tall glass, topping with lemon lime soda and then garnishing with a fresh cherry. For an even healthier twist, skip the soda and replace with sparkling water and the juice of half a lemon.