Cherry Sumac Garden Tangent

Sumac adds a lemon-like tartness to cherry without using citrus juice, and mint gives the finish a cooler aroma. The result is fairly sharp, but the cherry provides enough fruit character to keep it from feeling one-dimensional. Filtering the spice infusion makes a much smoother drink than stirring sumac straight into the glass. This is an easy way to explore a different kind of acidity, with a dark fruit flavor and a clean, gently herbal finish.

Ingredients

• 1/4 tsp Food-grade ground sumac spice
• 2 oz Warm water
• 2 oz Tart cherry juice
• 4 leaf Mint leaves
• 4 oz Sparkling water, chilled

Make it

1. Steep the sumac in the warm water for 10 minutes. Strain through a paper coffee filter and cool.
2. Stir in the cherry juice and lightly bruised mint.
3. Add the chilled sparkling water, stir gently and serve. Remove the mint once its flavor is noticeable.

Benefits

Sumac and cherry · refreshing fluids

Using sumac, cherry, and mint turns the measured water into a drink with a lemony tang. That water still counts toward your fluid intake.

Make room for cherry

Cherry gives the sumac and mint a deep, tangy cherry flavor—an aromatic pairing to serve freshly mixed, while the bubbles are lively.

Use packaged culinary sumac, not foraged plants.