Guest Recipe: Grilled Cherry Sours
Who hasn't spent a summer in the sun -- warm, lazy afternoons punctuated by dips in the pool, cold glasses of lemonade, and bowls of ripe cherries. August is the peak of cherry season; we see them at the farmer's markets, deep red Bings and golden Rainers. What better way to combine the flavors of summer (and to grow up your lemonade) than with cherries on the grill. Michael Lewicki, the man behind Verses From My Kitchen, brings us a recipe for Grilled Cherry Sours that pairs the sweet, summery taste of cherries and lime with the smoky heat of the grill. If you'd like to keep your Sours lemonade-y youthful, we suggest replacing the gin with sparkling water or limeade. Cheers!
The Remedy or Grilled Cherry Sour
Serves 4
Cherry Thyme Simple Syrup
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
6 thyme sprigs
12 cherries, pitted
1. Combine the sugar, water, thyme, and cherries in a saucepan over medium heat. Muddle the cherries with a muddler or the back of a wooden spoon until smashed and broken down. Bring up to a boil and reduce immediately to a simmer, until the sugar has fully dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for a good hour. Place the syrup in the fridge to cool, until you make the cocktail.
The Recipe
12 cherries, pitted, plus more for garnish
2 limes, cut in half
2 tbsp. honey
3 dashes of bitters
4 sprigs of thyme, plus more for garnish
2 cups of the cherry-thyme simple syrup you just made
6 ounces of Gin
Prep
Preheat grill to 450F degrees.
Place cherry halves and lime halves on the grill. Close lid and leave for 2 minutes, or until charred. Remove from the grill and let cool.
Muddle the cherries, limes, honey, bitters and thyme in a cocktail shaker.
Add in the simple syrup and gin and divide among 4 rock glasses filled with ice.
Garnish each with a cherry half and a thyme sprig.
Mike lives just outside Toronto, where, unlike in Los Angeles, there really are four seasons every year. For more seasonal recipes, check out his blog, Verses From My Kitchen.
