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.
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.
All That I'm Eating says
I do love cherries, the colour of this is lovely and just perfect to toast the summer (what's left of it!)
Heather says
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)!
David @ Spiced says
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! 🙂
Heather says
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 (:
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
Such a fun idea! Lemon cherry is a yummy combo too! Super refreshing and perfect any time of year if you ask me 🙂
Heather says
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 (:
Jenny | The Baking Skillet says
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
Heather says
same, i love how the bubbles came out so clear!
Kelly @ Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats says
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
Heather says
awh, thanks! hoping something works out but also preparing for the possibility that it doesn't. que sera sera~
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
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!
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen says
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 🙂
Heather says
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!).
Laura says
I totally love cherries and this simple recipe-but-not sounds awesome. Sounds like you had a good internship -- good luck with school!
Kim | The Baking ChocolaTess says
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!!
Heather says
thanks kim!
Tandy I Lavender and Lime says
It's great that your internship had such an impact on you.
Heather says
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 (:
Mary says
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.
Heather says
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.
Alia | Everyday Easy Eats says
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!! 🙂
Heather says
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 (:
Emma - Bake Then Eat says
Yum I love cherry flavour this is a great drink to wave goodbye to the summer with.
Heather says
thanks!!
Maryanne | the little epicurean says
This drink sounds tasty and refreshing! (P.S. I also have a serious sweetgreen addiction.)
Heather says
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.
Mackay Sherry says
This sounds like a very refreshing drink heather. Just wondering what sweetgreens are?:) cheers sherry
Heather says
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 (:
Ashika | Gardening Foodie says
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!
Agness of Run Agness Run says
Such a thirst-quenching drink, Heather! Can't wait to refresh myself there days!
Kankana says
So sweet of your Boss, just says how amazing you must be at your work 🙂 And that cherry soda .. LOVING!
Heather says
aww thanks!
[email protected] says
That's so sweet of your coworkers! Such a fun soda idea
Heather says
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 (:
Zainab says
This looks so refreshing!! Have fun with the end of intership.
Heather says
thanks zainab!
Maria @ kitchenathoskins says
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:)
Heather says
booze definitely allowed! i love how easy drinks are to adapt for different people (:
Marie | Yay! For Food says
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.
Heather says
thanks marie!
stephanie says
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
Heather says
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.
Supriya Kuttty says
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.
Heather says
yes, it's a perfect last minute drink!
Katherine | Love In My Oven says
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!!
Heather says
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 (;
GiGi Eats says
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!
Heather says
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).
Deepika|TheLoveOfCakes says
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!
Heather says
it's a good way to mix up plain sparkling water!
Thao @ In Good Flavor says
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.
Heather says
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!
Christina says
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 🙂
Makos(@thehungrybites) says
I'd say this soda is totally delicious AND gorgeous!!!
Heather says
thanks, makos!
Joyce says
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!
Heather says
aww thanks joyce 💕 never too late for drinks!
Danielle @ Follow My Gut says
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!
Heather says
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).
Nehal Preet says
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.