I’m not that much of a lemonade drinker. But as summertime is now here, I’d rather binge on fruit-based drinks than colas. So in the interest of trying to find the perfect summertime drink, let’s move on to our first recipe. The Cherry Lemonade is a fusion of crushed cherries and your ordinary and basic lemonade syrup.

Ingredients: (makes 2 quarts)

1 1/4 cups water
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 6 large lemons)
6 cups cold water
1/2 pound cherries, pitted and halved

Procedure:

1. Bring 1 1/4 cups water to a boil in a small pan. Once boiling, turn off heat, and stir in sugar until dissolved.

2. Combine sugar mixture, lemon juice, and 6 cups cold water in a pitcher. Add cherries and let sit in refrigerator for a few hours, until chilled.

3. Stir and serve, scooping a few cherries into your drink after you pour.

This Cherry Lemonade contains no preservatives, and has 27 percent less sugar than soda. Although it would probably taste even better mixed with vodka, it does sate our cravings for a lemonade with a little twist.