Bing Cherry Mojito - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups water
1 1/4 cups fresh lime juice, about 9 limes
3 lbs bing cherries
18 ounces black cherry vodka or 18 ounces plain vodka
750 ml sparkling water

Preparation

Bring sugar and plain water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
Put lime juice into a medium non-reactive bowl. Halve and pit the cherries; add to lime juice. Stir in syrup. Refrigerate at least 1 hour, up to overnight.
Stir cherry mixture and vodka in a large serving bowl. Fill 12 glasses with ice. Spoon 1/2 cup cherry-vodka mixture into each glass, top off with sparkling water and serve immediately.