Visinada (Greek Sour Cherry Drink)

Visinada is a ruby-red Greek drink made from vissino, sour cherries preserved in syrup, diluted with ice-cold water for a tart, refreshing sip. It’s traditionally offered to guests as a welcome drink alongside a spoon sweet on the side.

Ingredients

For the syrup

• 2 cups pitted sour cherries (fresh or frozen)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

To serve

• Cold water or sparkling water
• Ice cubes

Instructions

1. Make the syrup
   Combine the sour cherries, sugar, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20-25 minutes, until syrupy and the cherries have released their color.
2. Strain
   Strain the syrup through a fine sieve, pressing on the cherries to extract the liquid. Stir in the lemon juice. (Save the cooked cherries to spoon over yogurt.)
3. Cool
   Let the syrup cool completely, then refrigerate in a sealed jar, it keeps for several weeks.
4. Serve
   To serve, mix 2-3 tablespoons of syrup with a glass of cold water or sparkling water over ice, adjusting to taste.