We have three small sour-cherry trees in the garden, on the dry-stone terraces. In all these years I have never seen any of them grow taller; apparently they are happy at that size, or perhaps that is simply the variety. Two years ago they fruited lavishly and we made juice after picking them. Last year there were only a few berries, but this year abundance returned. We grazed on some straight from the branches, then decided to make juice again, both to use them all and to preserve them.
We dragged out an ancient juicer — which finally had to go after this session because its efficiency was painfully bad — and started pressing, cherry by cherry. The plan was to pour the juice into ice-cube bags and freeze it. We did the same two years ago and had the loveliest refreshment all summer. Drop a couple of cubes of frozen sour-cherry juice into a glass of water and there it is: a bright, tart, properly refreshing drink. Perfect for summer. :)
After making the juice, and one monumental mess, I understood why sour cherries rank so high among nutrient-rich fruits. The drops everywhere were sticky and dense, a deep blood red, like the richest healthy blood. Naturally, every flying buzzer around — wasps, bees, bumblebees, even horseflies — came to feast at our table. One more sign that we had cracked open a treasure chest of health for everyone… :)
So now you know: we have freshly pressed sour-cherry juice frozen in ice-cube bags. When you come to see us, we can treat you to our original island cooler.
