Drink | Black Cherry & Orange Mango Soda/Syrup

I got the idea to make soda the other day and after doing a little research I am happy to report that it is both incredibly easy AND delicious. It's all about the syrup and after this first session I already have a few adjustments I will make on the next round... and there will definitely be a next round, or two or three.

If you're going to use fresh fruit, choose fruits that are very ripe and juicy and either put them through a juicer or puree them and press through a strainer. If you use canned or bottled juices like I did, look for juices that have very high natural juice content, and a very low sugar content. The only issue I had with my syrup is that it's a little too thick so adjustments I would make for next time would be to add either a 1/4 cup juice back in to the syrup while it's cooling or another suggestion I read was to add 1 tablespoon corn syrup to the finished syrup to help keep it smooth. 

BLACK CHERRY & ORANGE MANGO SODA/SYRUP

1 cup water
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup fresh fruit juice or concentrated fruit juice (the more concentrated the juice, the more intense the final flavor)

1  |  Combine the ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and let simmer until the mixture is reduced by half. Taste the syrup to check the sweetness. At this point you can add different flavor extracts or herbs such as rosemary or thyme depending on the flavor of the syrup.

2  |  Store the finished syrup in a sealable glass jar or bottle in the refrigerator. To make homemade soda, simply add syrup to a glass of ice and top off with seltzer water or club soda.

Drink | Bing Cherry Muddler

A few weeks ago when I started Design & Dishes I was compiling a list of blogs that I love and appreciate. Being a graphic designer I have a large list of design blogs I follow regularly, but getting in to the world of food blogs was relatively new to me. Then along came Sprouted Kitchen, a food blog by the amazingly talented Sara Morris. Sara is a food loving, health craving, veggie fiend, who enjoys the culture of enjoying a meal with friends and family. She's also incredibly sweet and was kind enough to respond to an email I sent her, congratulating her on her success with Sprouted Kitchen. It's one of those blogs that you just can't wait to see what's coming next. I crave her posts!

This beverage comes from Sprouted Kitchen. Click here for the original recipe! Hopefully I did it justice as I was unable to find Rainier cherries. I also think using the basil infused vodka I made last week really added to the overall flavor!

BING CHERRY MUDDLER  |  Recipe inspired by Sara Morris at Sprouted Kitchen

8 Rainier cherries
Few leaves of lemon basil
2 tsp. turbinado sugar
2 oz. vodka
Crushed ice
Sparkling water

1  |  Pit and halve the cherries. Put the cherries, lemon basil and turbinado in a glass (or pitcher if making more than one), and muddle it with a muddling tool, or the bottom of a wooden spoon. Get aggressive, you need to get as much juice out of the cherries as possible.

2  |  Fill a glass with 3/4 full with crushed ice. Add the vodka and muddled cherry mix and fill the rest of the glass with sparkling water.

Dish | Cherry Clafouti

I'm in no way - nor do I consider myself - a baker. I crave the savory things in life, so desserts are rare for me. With all of these cherries in my life, I figured it would be a perfect time to expand my horizons! From Bon Appétit: "Inspired by the simple cherry desserts from the Limousin region of France, this baked custard can be served warm or at room temperature. Feel free to use pitted or unpitted cherries."

CHERRY CLAFOUTI  |  Recipe inspired by Bon Appétit June 2011

1 pound fresh cherries, stemmed, and pitted
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
4 large eggs
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
Powdered sugar

1  |  Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter cake pan or ramekins. Arrange cherries in a single layer in pan.

2  |  Combine milk and cream in a small saucepan; bring just to a simmer over medium heat. Set aside. Combine eggs, flour, sugar, lemon zest, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl; whisk to blend. Gradually whisk in hot milk mixture; whisk until custard is smooth. 

3  |  Pour custard evenly over cherries in pan. If necessary, gently shake pan to allow custard to settle. Bake clafouti until custard is set and top is golden brown, about 30 minutes for ramekins and 45-55 minutes for cake pan. Let cool 3 minutes, then run a knife around pan sides to loosen clafouti (if using a cake pan). Dust top with powdered sugar; cut into wedges and serve. 

Dish | Butter Lettuce, Chicken, Avocado and Cherry Salad

Bon Appétit delivers again! I thumbed through my June issue (yet again) and I was tempted by the fantastic section featuring cherry recipes. Ryan's mom gave us a huge bag of cherries just the other day so I wanted to do more then just snack on them all day. They are delicious! 

Over the past 2 weeks I've been eating alot of rich and heavy food and drinking many a glass of champagne, rosé, and beer. It's time to shape up! This salad called for radishes and croutons - which I forgot to buy - but I think using boneless chicken breast with the skin on is key here! It adds so much flavor to such a simple and delicious dish, regardless of which ingredients you may choose to leave out, or in my case forget to purchase.

BUTTER LETTUCE, CHICKEN, AVOCADO AND CHERRY SALAD  |   Recipe inspired by Bon Appétit June 2011

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons honey
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for chicken
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 chicken breast with the skin on
2 avocados, pitted, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 pound fresh cherries, stemmed, pitted, and lightly crushed
2 heads butter lettuce, cored and torn into pieces

1  |  Prepare Barbeque (med-high heat). Whisk first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir; set aside. 


2  |  Place chicken breasts in a medium bowl. Turn to coat with roughly 2 tablespoons olive oil in bowl. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Grill chicken, covered, until cooked through, about 6 minutes per side. Let stand 5 minutes; cut chicken breast into strips.

3  |  Place chicken meat in a large bowl. Add cherries, avocado, butter lettuce and drizzle with vinaigrette; toss to coat. Divide salad among bowls.