THINGS I LIKE: Alan's Maraschino Cherries

MARASCHINO CHERRIES evolved from the Marasca, a small, sour black cherry that grew wild on the coast of Dalmatia. Hundreds of years ago when there were no good methods of preserving fruit, these cherries were brined in sea water, then marinated in a liqueur called “Maraschino”, made from the juice, pits and leaves of the Marasca cherry. Cherries preserved in this manner were called, “Maraschino Cherries”. Wealthy Europeans developed a taste for these cherries and before long, imitations began to appear. The French took those cherries, colored them bright red and called these, “Maraschinos”. In the 1800’s, rich Americans, traveling abroad  to France, brought these cherries home where they became very popular. In the early 1900’s, U.S. cherry growers, in order  to compete with expensive imported, liqueur marinated Maraschino cherries, came up with their own version. Because of concern about opposition from the active Temperance movement at that time, U.S. Maraschinos were made using brines, chemical baths, bleaches, artificial flavors, sugar syrup and red dyes, but no alcohol. Thus, a new product was created. Real “Maraschino Cherries” became and still are virtually unknown in the U.S.

 

From: The Foodie’s Companion: Cooking Tips and Tables, Food History and Fun Food Facts”. 2011, p. 79

             ALAN’S   MARASCHINO  CHERRY  RECIPES

My Maraschino Cherries differ greatly from the jarred, overly sweet, bright red cherries that are passed off as Maraschino Cherries in the US which are used in cocktails or as a “crown” on top of an ice cream sundae,. My Maraschino Cherries, closer to the original, have a low alcohol liqueur base and can be used as a topping for ice cream, pound cake, crepes, French toast, as part of a sauce for pork or game dishes or any other use your imagination can conjure up.

                                      RECIPE # 1 (Using fresh cherries)

INGREDIENTS

1/2 C sugar
1 C sour cherry juice*1 lb. fresh cherries, pitted **
1 C Luxardo Sangre Morlacco Cherry liqueur

PREPARATION

 

 Put sugar and cherry juice into a pot and bring to a boil to dissolve sugar.

 Place cherries in a jar, add hot cherry syrup, cover jar, shake to mix and allow to cool. ***

Add liqueur, mix, recover the jar and refrigerate for at least one week (but more is better), shaking jar to mix, occasionally, to allow cherries to fully absorb juice and liqueur.   

* I use Trader Joe’s Sour Cherrie juice. Because this juice is cloudy, I  pass it through a coffee filter before using to give me a totally clear final product. If this is not important to you, it is not necessary.

** I used Bing cherries but any kind of fresh, sweet cherry will do.  

 

*** I like my cherries crisp and only use the heat of the hot cherry juice and the steam it produces in the closed jar to soften them slightly. However, if you like them softer, they can be added to the syrup and cooked until they are the texture that suits your taste, then, continue as outlined above.

 

                       RECIPE # 2 (using jarred cherries)

                             

  INGREDIENTS

1 jar Morello Cherries in light syrup*

1/2 C syrup from cherries

1/2 C plus 2 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 C Luxardo Cherry Sangre Morlacco Liqueur

 

  PREPARATION

Drain cherries, thoroughly. Reserve 1/2 C syrup, but save the rest.** Replace cherries in jar.

Put the reserved syrup and sugar into a pot and boil to just dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat and allow to cool, completely.

Add sweetened cherry syrup back to drained cherries, add liqueur, recover jar, shake gently to mix and refrigerate, as above.

*I use the jar of Morello Cherries in light syrup (24.7oz) from Trader Joe’s. These cherries will be softer than those made with fresh cherries made in recipe 1.

 

** The extra syrup may be sweetened to your taste and can be used as a drink base, with or without alcohol. I like 1oz.Vodka, mixed with 2 oz. cherry syrup and 4 oz. seltzer. Make yours in the proportions to suit your own palate.