With Summer comes the heat. There is nothing better than fresh, in-season fruits on a hot Summer day. One easy way to shake things up during the Summer is to combine the fruits with other ingredients to create a delicious beverage. These drinks can be created for gatherings, parties, or just a fun night in. 

When thinking about Summer fruits, a few that always come to mind are watermelon, oranges, and pineapple. While these three are very popular during the Summer season, there are many more fruits that peak during this time; one of those fruits is cherries. 

Although it depends on where you live, cherries are best starting in May until as late as August in some states. Like grapes, cherries can be eaten right off the stem or used in recipes. A helpful tip to make your cherries last longer is to pit and freeze them to use later. Unlike other fruits, cherries are only available during the Summer. For this reason, why not consider using them to create a delicious and refreshing drink?

Sparkling Cherry Limeade

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 20 min

Ingredients

• 1 pound of cherries pitted and sliced in half
• 3/4 -1 cup of sugar
• 3/4 cup of fresh lime juice
• Lime wedges for garnishing
• Sparkling water

Instructions

1. Add the cherries, sugar, and 3/4 – 1 cup of water (use the same amount of water as sugar) to a saucepan. Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes, stirring to make sure that the sugar fully dissolves. Remove from the heat but do not strain the syrup, leave the cherries in there. Allow time for the syrup to cool.
2. To make one drink, fill a glass with ice. Add 3-4 tablespoons of cherry syrup and 6 or 7 cherries from the syrup. Add 2 tablespoons of lime juice and top with sparkling water. Gently stir to combine, garnishing with the lime wedges.
3. Serve and enjoy!

Unlike cherries, mangoes are available all year round. However, they are best from May through September, as that is the peak growing season in the United States. Mangoes need to be peeled since the skin can make you ill. This fruit can be used in a wide variety of dishes including sweet or savory ones. Their sweet and tangy core is perfect for a late Summer night. 

Virgin Mango Orange Mojito

Prep time: 5 min

Total time: 5 min

Ingredients

• 1 cup tightly packed fresh mint
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup orange juice
• 8 ounces mango juice
• 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 12 ounces seltzer water
• 1 orange sliced
• 2 cups ice

Instructions

1. Pour the mint leaves into a pitcher, muddle the mint with a muddler, or a wide-handled wooden utensil.
2. Add the sugar and crush it into the mint leaves.
3. Add the liquids, then stir to combine.
4. Garnish each glass with orange rings, and a 1/2 cup of ice.
5. Pour the virgin mojito over the ice in each cup.
6. Serve and enjoy!

For more information about recipes visit Fox and Briar and Real House Moms.

For more information about cherries visit The Spruce Eats and for mangos visit Food Network.

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Article By: Liz Bunce