Summer is stone fruit season, which means that summer is cherry season! If you have the the ability, go to a cherry orchard and take part in some cherry picking. It’s a great activity for families because you get to be out in the sun picking and eating cherries. How can you not have fun doing that? Pick one, eat one, pick one, eat one, and continue that cycle. Well, maybe don’t do that because you don’t want to get sick or avoid paying for cherries. Sneak a few here and there for us, though.

Cherries come in several varieties, and this raw vegan sorbet recipe calls for tart cherries. If you can only get your hands on a certain variety, go ahead and use those. Using tart cherries for a sorbet makes it a little more refreshing for these hot summer days. Sweeter varieties will also be great! Cherries also exhibit some incredible health properties. Because they work to reduce uric acid and nitric oxide build-up, cherries help reduce gout and arthritis flair ups. They may also reduce inflammation and increase natural melatonin production, which may improve your sleep.

You may notice a couple interesting ingredients that may seem out of place in this recipe. We are talking about black pepper and nutmeg. You only need a pinch of each spice because you don’t want to overpower the other ingredients, especially the sweetness of the cherries. Black pepper actually helps awaken the cherries and a little hint brings a pleasant kick to the mix. Too much and, well, you will ruin your sorbet. A pinch of black pepper and nutmeg is a wonderful balance of harmonious flavors we think you’ll love.