Cooling Wild Cherry Drink Recipe

By Christopher Nyerges
Published on May 30, 2019
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Photo by Getty Images/a_namenko

Try this refreshing cherry beverage and sweeten your summer with locally foraged fruit. Yield: 1 quart to 1 gallon.

Begin with approximately 5 cups of ripe wild cherries, deseeded. Place in a pot and cover with spring water or filtered water.

Bring to a boil, and gently mash the fruits. Let mix simmer about 30 minutes.

Strain liquid through colander or cheesecloth (use the discarded pulp to make pemmican).

Serve immediately, or store briefly in refrigerator in glass jars. Sweeten with honey if desired, and serve chilled.

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Christopher Nyerges has been leading Wild Food Outings since 1974. He’s the author of Nuts and Berries of CaliforniaGuide to Wild Foods and Useful PlantsForaging CaliforniaExtreme Simplicity, and more. For a schedule of his classes, and information about his books, contact School of Self-Reliance, Box 41834, Eagle Rock, California, 90041, or online at Christopher Nyerges.

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