Maraschino Cherries

Maraschino Cherries… free associate. You could be thinking about gross, bright red, corn syrup laden candy that no longer resembles fruit or you could be glad you made your own. During the summer when Bing cherries abound I put a jar in the refrigerator about half full of maraschino liquor and add some sugar (about 1/2 cup in a one quart jar). Then when I reject cherries as too soft to eat, I pit them and stick them in the maraschino liquor. All year long my cocktails get boozy bing cherries. Old-fashioneds taste better, Manhattans and Aviations look more chic and I don’t waste a single cherry because the soft, slightly mushy ones I don’t want to eat firm up in the alcohol as they expel their water and absorb alcohol and sugar.