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    Home » Citrus

    Sparkling Lemon Cherry Soda

    Sep 10, 2017 · 60 Comments

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    my last day at my internship was last wednesday. i didn't want to go in on tuesday and i wanted to just be done and have a break before i go back down to socal for school. and then wednesday came, and i was a mess. i cried when i read the cards that my department gave me. i cried when i saw the cookies my boss had delivered for me, especially since she was all the way in thailand that day. and i cried when i left, when i was trying to scurry out because i didn't want to cry in front of everyone. maybe i wouldn't have cried if my future there was in such limbo, but i guess i'll have to wait and see what happens.

    all i wanted after leaving the office was salad (i have a real addiction to sweetgreen okay) and a cold drink. still not a huge fan of alcohol, though i did drink the most alcohol i ever have this summer. i drank ¼ glass rose and ½ a random sugar snap pea cocktail and even splashed a bit of vodka in my moscow mule (read: ginger beer and ginger ale and lime with a couple of drops of vodka)!!! (also this was spread out during the whole summer lol). living. on. the. edge. anyways, not a huge fan of alcohol, so this sparkling lemon cherry soda is right up my alley. (though you can most definitely spike it if it so pleases you).

    it's effervescent. (well duh, it's soda). (also that's a word i picked up after watching this video about berkeley's cultured pickle shop, at which point i turned into a wannabe pickle and kombucha snob, even though i was underwhelmed by the overpriced pickled carrots with hijiki seaweed that i bought, and i still can't stand the taste of kombucha). it's refreshingly tart from the lemon, even though there's still a heavy dose of cherry. the perfect way to toast goodbye to summer, even if you don't want to.

    This sparkling lemon cherry soda is crystal clear on top with a heaping of dark cherries at the bottom before you stir it.
    2 years ago: Red Bean Coconut Milk Popsicles

    Sparkling Lemon Cherry Soda

    This is less of a recipe and more of an idea. All you need is cherries, sugar, lemon and sparkling water.

    Pit and chop a few cherries per glass, mix with sugar, and let macerate until juicy. Fresh or frozen cherries work best, though I'd supposed you could use cherry jam if you were reallyyyy in a tight bind. Leave as is or blend it (partially or completely), depending on what kind of texture you're looking for. Drop in a few ice cubes, top with sparkling water, add a squeeze of lemon, and ta da. Bye, summer, I'll miss you.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. All That I'm Eating says

      September 11, 2017 at 3:33 am

      I do love cherries, the colour of this is lovely and just perfect to toast the summer (what's left of it!)

      Reply
      • Heather says

        September 17, 2017 at 1:16 pm

        i'll be toasting to the rest of summer for as long as i can hold out (ie next week, when it's back to school)!

        Reply
    2. David @ Spiced says

      September 11, 2017 at 4:50 am

      I don't think I've ever played around with making my own soda flavors...but I love the cherry-lemon combo here. Sounds like a dessert in a glass! And I'm really keeping my fingers crossed with you on the internship location. Sounds like they really love you there, so that's a good thing! 🙂

      Reply
      • Heather says

        September 17, 2017 at 1:16 pm

        playing around with soda flavors is so fun and easy! and low risk: if you don't like it, welp, at least it's just 1 glass (:

        Reply
    3. Dawn - Girl Heart Food says

      September 11, 2017 at 5:25 am

      Such a fun idea! Lemon cherry is a yummy combo too! Super refreshing and perfect any time of year if you ask me 🙂

      Reply
      • Heather says

        September 17, 2017 at 1:20 pm

        thanks dawn! i'd wager that some people would be more into hot tea or cider or coffee during the colder months, but i would be right beside you drinking this even then (:

        Reply
    4. Jenny | The Baking Skillet says

      September 11, 2017 at 6:10 am

      Your boss sent you cookies! You must have really impressed her.. Way to go girl 🙂 Love the second pic where you captured the bubbles so clearly! Bye summer

      Reply
      • Heather says

        September 17, 2017 at 1:23 pm

        same, i love how the bubbles came out so clear!

        Reply
    5. Kelly @ Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats says

      September 11, 2017 at 6:23 am

      Sounds like a refreshing drink! I thought the note and cookies your boss sent you was super sweet! Hopefully you get to go back to your internship again after this school year is finished. Have a great week Heather! Xoxo

      Reply
      • Heather says

        September 17, 2017 at 1:24 pm

        awh, thanks! hoping something works out but also preparing for the possibility that it doesn't. que sera sera~

        Reply
    6. Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says

      September 11, 2017 at 7:12 am

      Awww! It's super sweet your coworkers and boss gave you a send off! Hopefully the future works out exactly how you want, my friend! This soda looks perfect! LOVING the lemon and cherry combo! Cheers!

      Reply
    7. Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen says

      September 11, 2017 at 8:58 am

      Awwwww I'm sorry your internship is over, Heather! But it sounds like you made a really good impression on your boss and co-workers. Have a great school year! This soda sounds so good; completely refreshing and, as someone who can't drink much because of migraines, perfect so I can have a fancy drink while everyone else is consuming their adult beverages 🙂

      Reply
      • Heather says

        September 17, 2017 at 1:27 pm

        oh then this is perfect! you can join me at the non-alcoholic table (speaking of which, i had a really great passionfruit ginger beer cooler the other night, so i'm glad there's still exciting drinks for us!).

        Reply
    8. Laura says

      September 11, 2017 at 9:47 am

      I totally love cherries and this simple recipe-but-not sounds awesome. Sounds like you had a good internship -- good luck with school!

      Reply
    9. Kim | The Baking ChocolaTess says

      September 11, 2017 at 7:03 pm

      How nice of your co-workers and boss! What a gorgeous looking drink! It looks so refreshing and the perfect send-off for summer! That Cherry Garcia Cake also has my eye! YUM!!

      Reply
      • Heather says

        September 17, 2017 at 1:30 pm

        thanks kim!

        Reply
    10. Tandy I Lavender and Lime says

      September 11, 2017 at 8:53 pm

      It's great that your internship had such an impact on you.

      Reply
      • Heather says

        September 17, 2017 at 1:30 pm

        yes, i got really lucky! i've had my share of not so great internships (including one where i had to cold call grad students), so i appreciated getting to do something more useful this time around (:

        Reply
    11. Mary says

      September 11, 2017 at 8:59 pm

      Ahhh I’m so sorry you cried, it's so sad when things come to an end. I hate saying goodbye to people, I don’t even say goodbye on the phone. Salads make me feel good also, so I get you, but it does sound weird. This looks like a fun drink, I will try it out this weekend. So happy your internship was a positive experience, everyone isn't so lucky.

      Reply
      • Heather says

        September 17, 2017 at 1:33 pm

        goodbyes are always sad ): and yes, i got really lucky with this one! i've had some not as great experiences (one in particular that made me question even why the company had interns), so i certainly appreciated this one.

        Reply
    12. Alia | Everyday Easy Eats says

      September 11, 2017 at 10:39 pm

      Love this. We drink sparkling water mixed with different fruit juices all the time in my house. Although I have never tried sparkling water with fruit + lemon juice + sugar! I will DEF be making this soon! And I hope you get to return to your internship position again in the future! Sending positive vibes your way!! 🙂

      Reply
      • Heather says

        September 17, 2017 at 1:34 pm

        sparkling water + juice is really tasty! this is great when you want to spice it up a bit or have a ton of fruit and need another way to eat it (:

        Reply
    13. Emma - Bake Then Eat says

      September 12, 2017 at 2:50 am

      Yum I love cherry flavour this is a great drink to wave goodbye to the summer with.

      Reply
      • Heather says

        September 17, 2017 at 1:36 pm

        thanks!!

        Reply
    14. Maryanne | the little epicurean says

      September 13, 2017 at 11:27 am

      This drink sounds tasty and refreshing! (P.S. I also have a serious sweetgreen addiction.)

      Reply
      • Heather says

        September 17, 2017 at 3:06 pm

        it's gotten to the point where i'll drive by a sweetgreen, yell "OOOH THERE'S A SWEETGREEN," and then anyone in the car will shut me down with a firm no.

        Reply
    15. Mackay Sherry says

      September 14, 2017 at 1:33 pm

      This sounds like a very refreshing drink heather. Just wondering what sweetgreens are?:) cheers sherry

      Reply
      • Heather says

        September 17, 2017 at 3:07 pm

        sweetgreen is a salad chain in the us! i really like their salads because they have a lot more toppings than lettuce, and they're always so flavorful (:

        Reply
    16. Ashika | Gardening Foodie says

      September 14, 2017 at 2:07 pm

      OH, this looks super refreshing Heather, perfect for Summer, which begins in just a few weeks here in South Africa.
      I love the flavour combination and cannot wait to try it out!

      Reply
    17. Agness of Run Agness Run says

      September 14, 2017 at 2:15 pm

      Such a thirst-quenching drink, Heather! Can't wait to refresh myself there days!

      Reply
    18. Kankana says

      September 14, 2017 at 3:38 pm

      So sweet of your Boss, just says how amazing you must be at your work 🙂 And that cherry soda .. LOVING!

      Reply
      • Heather says

        October 27, 2017 at 6:45 pm

        aww thanks!

        Reply
    19. Patrick@looneyforfood.com says

      September 14, 2017 at 4:08 pm

      That's so sweet of your coworkers! Such a fun soda idea

      Reply
      • Heather says

        October 27, 2017 at 6:46 pm

        i feel like sodas aren't tinkered around with enough! i'm not a huge fan of the super sweet storebought ones, so the ability to control the amount of sweetness is also really nice (:

        Reply
    20. Zainab says

      September 14, 2017 at 6:59 pm

      This looks so refreshing!! Have fun with the end of intership.

      Reply
      • Heather says

        October 27, 2017 at 6:46 pm

        thanks zainab!

        Reply
    21. Maria @ kitchenathoskins says

      September 14, 2017 at 9:50 pm

      Cherry soda sounds amazing Heather. I'm gonna make it tomorrow night for the kids to get the weekend kick started and may be (may be.....) add some booze for us:)

      Reply
      • Heather says

        October 27, 2017 at 6:46 pm

        booze definitely allowed! i love how easy drinks are to adapt for different people (:

        Reply
    22. Marie | Yay! For Food says

      September 14, 2017 at 9:58 pm

      That's so kind of your boss and co-workers to say good-bye like that! I'm happy that you had such a positive experience there. This soda sounds so refreshing and lovely; what a great combination of flavours.

      Reply
      • Heather says

        October 27, 2017 at 6:48 pm

        thanks marie!

        Reply
    23. stephanie says

      September 14, 2017 at 10:01 pm

      lemon cherry soda sounds like the perfect way to toast to the end of summer.
      i totally feel you on the alcohol thing! i drink just the way you do, tiny sips/drinks that have the merest wisp. heehee

      Reply
      • Heather says

        October 27, 2017 at 6:49 pm

        i think it's funny when people are like, you'd like this! it doesn't taste like alcohol at all!, and then i take a sip and struggle to not recoil lol.

        Reply
    24. Supriya Kuttty says

      September 14, 2017 at 10:58 pm

      It's a sweet simple and yummy drink. It will work with serving your guest who comes home suddenly. And it will be healthy too, to have as it doesn't contain any chemical ingredients. TThank you.

      Reply
      • Heather says

        October 27, 2017 at 6:50 pm

        yes, it's a perfect last minute drink!

        Reply
    25. Katherine | Love In My Oven says

      September 15, 2017 at 9:29 am

      It's so tough leaving a really great work environment - I totally understand!! Try to focus on the excitement of the unknown, as hard as it can be. I happen to have fresh cherries in the fridge, and a soda stream so I've always got sparkling water. This drink will be happening real soon! I love how simple it is. Take care dear Heather!!

      Reply
      • Heather says

        October 27, 2017 at 6:53 pm

        the unknown could be exciting if i could find interesting jobs (the kind of job i want is kind of a niche, so it's hard to find lol)! but we'll see how it goes. ooh a soda stream sounds like so much fun! not sure i'd use it enough to justify purchasing one, but i have a friend who would probably let me play around with it (;

        Reply
    26. GiGi Eats says

      September 15, 2017 at 7:03 pm

      I love the flavor of CHERRY but the actual thing, no thanks! haha! It's very weird of me - but the same goes for BANANAS as well!

      Reply
      • Heather says

        October 27, 2017 at 6:54 pm

        oh interesting! i'm the exact opposite; i don't like cherry flavored things. (i'm perhaps one of the few people ever who would trade a cherry or strawberry starburst for an orange or lemon).

        Reply
    27. Deepika|TheLoveOfCakes says

      September 16, 2017 at 9:06 am

      We drink sparkling water so often..But this genius idea of meddling the fruit and lemon juice has never struck me! Will be trying soon before saying bye to summer!

      Reply
      • Heather says

        October 27, 2017 at 6:56 pm

        it's a good way to mix up plain sparkling water!

        Reply
    28. Thao @ In Good Flavor says

      September 17, 2017 at 7:24 pm

      Internship can lead to a great future with the same organization, especially when you have left such a positive impression. I'm feeling optimistic about your future, wherever it may lead. Good luck with school! Your soda sounds refreshing and delicious! The cherry and lemon is such a great pairing.

      Reply
      • Heather says

        October 27, 2017 at 7:12 pm

        thanks, thao! they keep looking me up on linkedin, so maybe that means something? but anyways, cherry and lemon is such a good combo and i wish it was used more!

        Reply
    29. Christina says

      September 22, 2017 at 11:16 am

      Dude! Yasss! Black cherry flavored soda water is one of my all-time favorites. However, I need something new in my life and this recipe looks and sounds so refreshing! Great job 🙂

      Reply
    30. Makos(@thehungrybites) says

      September 27, 2017 at 3:21 am

      I'd say this soda is totally delicious AND gorgeous!!!

      Reply
      • Heather says

        November 07, 2017 at 1:55 pm

        thanks, makos!

        Reply
    31. Joyce says

      September 29, 2017 at 10:34 am

      wow. I'm crying just reading this. You're a awesome girl so I'm not surprised you're so loved at work 🙂 Wished I was there to join you for that drink but its not too late now right? Cheers to Heather! 🙂 Hope you have a crazy and fun beginning of school!

      Reply
      • Heather says

        November 07, 2017 at 2:08 pm

        aww thanks joyce 💕 never too late for drinks!

        Reply
    32. Danielle @ Follow My Gut says

      October 22, 2017 at 2:26 pm

      I'm so so sorry that you're last day was a tough one. It's so interesting that you work at a place for only a little while and you don't realize how much of an impact it will have on you. That said, I'm really glad your department did so many nice things to show their appreciation for you. To close it all off with a nice soda like this much have made it a little bit easier!

      Reply
      • Heather says

        November 21, 2017 at 5:20 pm

        yeah, i was there for only a summer and had such a good time there! surprising because i was kind of hesitant to take it (i was like, what if i get something better??), and because i didn't want to start (because i am a lazy bum sometimes lol).

        Reply
    33. Nehal Preet says

      January 22, 2020 at 11:59 pm

      This drink sounds tasty and refreshing!! Such a fun Idea... I loved the combo of these two flavors. Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe with all of us.

      Reply

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