A tangy-sweet concoction that tickles your senses!
20 ounces frozen sweet cherries
1 liter sparkling mineral water
1 level teaspoon fresh ginger root, finely grated
2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup raw agave nectar
Blend all of the ingredients in a high-speed blender until the cherries have been almost completely incorporated. Once you see very small bits of cherry skin, stop the blending process. There should be a nice head of foam on the top of the mixture. Strain the mixture just enough to remove the skin of the cherries but keep the foam. Serve immediately. Any leftovers should be kept in an airtight container, stored in the refrigerator, and used within a day or two.
A few tips…
The listed ingredients amount to roughly eight cups of Cherry BANG. Double or triple the recipe as needed.
If you do not have a large capacity blender, you will need to process the mixture in two stages.
A microplane works great for fine grating the ginger root.
If you have a Vita-Mix or other type of powerful blender, be mindful not to completely liquefy the cherries. Straining the skin of the cherries from the mixture is pretty important to the final outcome. The goal is for a smooth cherry taste. Completely pulverizing the skins will lend a somewhat bitter taste. Plus, over processing the mixture will greatly lessen the fizz and viscosity. After you’ve made Cherry BANG a few times, you’ll get the hang of it. [smiley wink]
It would be best to utilize a fine-mesh strainer as it effectively removes the skin of cherries while retaining the foam. Pouring the mixture through the strainer twice is usually enough to remove the skin of the cherries while keeping the foam intact.
You may notice the cherry mixture and sparkling mineral water separate. That is completely normal. Gently mix Cherry BANG just before you serve it. No worries!
Cherry BANG is the perfect fun and fizzy drink for parties and other gatherings. Just be sure to make lots!
