Sour-Cherry Gin Slings
Like Paul Virant, Vie bar manager Mike Page and pastry chef Todd Feitl think hyper-seasonally. They based this sweet-tart concoction on the classic Singapore sling, replacing the traditional cherry brandy with an intensely vibrant homemade sour-cherry syrup. With a squirt of sparkling water, the syrup also makes a great base for kid-friendly cherry soda.
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- Total Time:
- Servings: 12 drinks
Ingredients
- 1 pound sour cherries, stemmed
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- Strips of zest from 1/2 lemon
- Strips of zest from 1/2 orange
- 2 cups gin
- 2/3 cup Cointreau
- 2/3 cup fresh lime juice
- 2 1/4 cups sour-cherry syrup
- Angostura bitters
- Ice
- Sparkling water
- Lime wheels and fresh cherries, for garnish
How to make this recipe
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Make the gin slings:
In a large saucepan, combine the cherries with the sugar, water and citrus zests and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat for 40 minutes. Pass the mixture through a fine strainer, pressing on the solids; you should have 2 1/2 cups. Let cool.
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Make the gin slings:
In a pitcher, combine the gin with the Cointreau, lime juice, sour-cherry syrup and a few dashes of bitters and stir well. Pour into ice-filled glasses and top each drink with sparkling water. Garnish with the lime wheels and fresh cherries and serve.
Make Ahead
The sour-cherry syrup can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.