Serves 4
15 min
Cherry & Thai Basil Soda
Recipe GLPR4fd34c4c959b8a
A refreshing and aromatic sparkling drink combining tart-sweet cherries with the distinctive anise-like flavor of Thai basil. Fresh cherry halves are muddled gently to release their juice, then combined with fresh Thai basil leaves to create a fragrant syrup. This is mixed with cold water for a light, naturally sweetened beverage perfect for warm days.
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Ingredients
1 bunch Fresh Thai basil, 1 bunch
½ pint Fresh cherries, about 1 pint (halved and stems removed)
¼ cup White sugar, 1/4 cup, adjust to taste
500 milliliters Cold water, 500 milliliters
800 milliliters Water, 800 milliliters
Directions
Gently rinse the Thai basil leaves and pat them dry. Remove any leaves from the stems and set aside, discarding the woody stems.
Rinse the cherry halves and place them in a large pitcher or bowl.
Using a muddler or the back of a spoon, gently press the cherry halves to release their juice and flavor without crushing the fruit into small fragments.
Add the Thai basil leaves to the pitcher with the cherries. Lightly muddle the basil leaves with the cherries until the basil becomes fragrant and releases its oils, about 10-15 seconds of gentle pressing.
Sprinkle the white sugar over the mixture and stir well to dissolve the sugar into the cherry and basil juices.
Pour in the 800 milliliters of water and stir to combine all ingredients thoroughly.
Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pitcher, pressing gently on the solids to extract all the flavorful liquid. Discard the cherry solids and basil leaves.
Stir in the 500 milliliters of cold water to chill and dilute the concentrate to desired strength.
Serve immediately over ice, or refrigerate until ready to serve. Taste and adjust sweetness with additional sugar if desired.
