cherries

Recently Stolichnaya, the makers of the wildly popular Stoli vanilla vodka, came out with a new flavor: wild cherry. I got my hands on a bottle and sipped it solo and in a cocktail. When alone, it has a strong artificial smell and taste reminiscent of cherry-flavored cough syrup. The clear spirit, however, does much better mixed into a drink with muddled brandied cherries and fresh lemon juice. A splash of Coca-Cola balances the concoction out and adds a refreshing effervescence. I've always been a longtime fan of Coke mixed with grenadine, and this beverage ends up tasting like a grownup Roy Rogers! Check out the smashing recipe here.

How scrumptious do these chocolate cherry cookies look? Realtimefarms shared the picture in the Savory Sights group. If you've got some drool-worthy images, why not upload them in the YumSugar Community? Your photo could be featured here!

Cookies by Mill Pond Bread

If you're a fan of cold soups like I am, I'm sure you'll agree they're the perfect midday refreshment during one of Summer's heat waves.

Although gazpacho takes a lot of credit for its cooling properties, don't discount other traditional warm-weather favorites, like the chilled version of the Eastern European soup known as borscht. The soup's beets, aside from having a nice depth of flavor, also provide a powerful flash of fuchsia color.

Not to be overlooked are the season's ripe fruits for sweet soups as well. If you're already serving borscht, why not create an ultra-playful menu by also serving a blush-hued soup for dessert? Offer another Eastern European favorite, Meggyleves, made from sour morello cherries. For both recipes, keep reading.

We're in the middle of a new series called Berry Tempting, wherein we feature a new berry each month. In June, when we featured nothing but cherry recipes and cocktails, something dawned on us: fresh cherry juice is a pain to obtain. Not only are cherries annoying to pit, but they're messy to boot! PartySugar wondered: is there an easy way to turn those fresh cherries into cherry juice?

Indeed, there is. In fact, our best suggestion came from the editors at Gourmet, who recommend blending fresh cherries — pits and all — with some water and a vitamin C tablet to halt oxidation. Once the cherries have been pulverized, strain the liquid over a fine mesh sieve, which will leave out the seeds and skins of the fruit, and skim off any top foam. That's it — juicing is easy as (cherry) pie!

Got a burning question? Join the Burning Question group in the YumSugar Community! It's your place to post the most pressing questions about the culinary world.

For most of the year, I avoid wearing the color red. It simply doesn't look great with my coloring. However, around the Fourth of July is when I make an exception, I like to wear red, white, and blue — just as I like to cook dishes in these all-American colors. With its creamy white cheese and deep ruby berries, this easy appetizer would be a welcome addition to any festive spread for the Fourth. It's a super quick snack that's absolutely scrumptious. Be sure to grill extra bread, I was a couple slices short and hated to see the last of the gooey cheese and fresh relish go to waste. If you like brie, this recipe is a must make. Learn the simple method.

The July Fourth holiday doesn't just mean a nice, long weekend; it also foreshadows a number of awesome barbecue cook-offs across America. The pitmaster rules Independence Day, so you can't go wrong getting your fill of ribs, whether it's at Lake Placid's I Love BBQ Festival or Naperville's Ribfest in the outskirts of Chicago.

Tonight, we'll be at a World Cup cocktail championship featuring our favorite local bartenders. While we won't be at the National Cherry Festival, we're dreaming of the weather in Traverse City.

What are you up to this Fourth? Let us know in the comments below!

• San Francisco, CA: Nirvino World Cup Cocktail Competition — June 29
• New York, NY: Crushpad vs. City Winery — June 30
• San Francisco, CA: Best of the Bay Area Party — July 1
• Naperville, IL: Naperville Ribfest — July 1-4
• Seattle, WA: Seattle International Beerfest — July 2-4
• Lake Placid, NY: I Love BBQ Festival — July 2-4
• Minneapolis, MN: Taste of MN — July 2-5
• Stockton, CA: Way Out West BBQ Championship — July 3
• Traverse City, MI: National Cherry Festival — July 3-10
• Chicago, IL: Taste of Chicago — June 25-July 4

In the know about a fabulous event? Spread the word in our Noteworthy Nibbles group in the YumSugar Community!

Whether it's straight up and chilled, or on ice with orange, any excuse to drink Dubonnet is a good one. I feel like it could be 1925 and I'm drinking at a bar in Lyon with Ernest Hemingway. With its notes of clove and sweet spice, Dubonnet Rouge is an ideal match for Summer's ripe red fruit. My new favorite way to enjoy it is in a cocktail with muddled Bing cherries, brandy, and bitters; the cocktail reminds me of a cherry bounce old fashioned, only brighter, and with a bigger kick. Make the most of your cherry stash when you read on.

Sometimes I'll make a hurried salad by haphazardly throwing vegetables and oil into a bowl. Other times, I'll make a leisurely salad with homemade croutons and an elaborate vinaigrette.
This amazing dinner salad is the latter, because the vinaigrette has to be made in advance. Don't be intimidated though, once you've reduced the beer, the rest is easy. The ingredients — tangy blue cheese, juicy cherries, crunchy croutons, and bitter greens — come together perfectly, creating a salad that is sophisticated and filling. It's the kind of salad you'll want to serve to girlfriends at a bridal shower. Be sure to pair with a luxurious white wine like Forefront's classic Sav Blanc. I enjoyed this dish so much that I've already made it multiple times. Give it a try and get the recipe now.

Recently, I threw a cherry-themed dinner party, where I highlighted nature's jewel-toned stone fruit. In addition to making cherry pan dowdies, my pièce de résistance was a pork tenderloin that had been butterflied, pounded, stuffed, sliced, and served as a beautiful roulade. The recipe looks lengthy, but don't be deterred by it; you can shave time off by asking your butcher to do the trimming, cutting, and pounding of the pork tenderloin. On top of being pretty to look at, the flavor combinations of this dish — juicy, sweet, fruity, meaty, salty — are spectacular. Serve it on a large platter with asparagus or on top of a bed of sautéed greens. To impress guests at a Summer dinner party, read more.