Cherry Lavender Lime Spritzer
This delightful mocktail features my favorite flavors of the summer: the sweetness from cherries (I like to use Bing cherries), the aromatic floral taste of lavender and the tang of lime juice. Add sparkling water over ice and you have yourself a refreshing drink. Feel free to add a little mezcal if you want to make it into a cocktail.
Ingredients
- 3 cups cherries, pitted and cut in half
- 1 vanilla bean, sliced in half
- 1 cup monk fruit sweetener
- ½ cup water
- 5 sprigs fresh lavender
- Juice of 1½ limes
- 1 bottle sparkling water
- Agave to taste
- Lavender flowers and extra lime wedges for garnish
Instructions
- Place cherries, vanilla bean, monk fruit and water in a small saucepan over medium flame and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Lower to a simmer. Add lavender sprigs and cook for 5 minutes more. Turn off the flame and let sit 30 minutes. Remove the lavender sprigs and transfer the cherry mixture to a blender. Blend for 1 minute and then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a glass container. Discard the pulp (makes great compost!) and add the lime juice to the syrup. Allow to cool before making drinks. The syrup can be made ahead and stored in the fridge up to 5 days.
- To serve: Gather your favorite glasses, toss in ice cubes and then pour in the desired amount of cherry syrup. (I kind of eyeball it—I like my drinks pretty dark.) Then pour in the sparkling water. Add a dash of agave, some extra lime juice to taste if desired, and stir. Garnish with lavender flowers and lemon wedges.