Boozy Bing Cherries

 Boozy Bing Cherries make Manhattans even better!

Start with one pound of fresh sweet cherries, rinsed & drained. one clean quart jar and one sterilized needle.

Prick each cherry several times with the needle. These little holes will make it easier for the cherries to soak up the other ingredients.

Stir 1/2 cup sugar into 1/2 cup water in a saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring, just long enough for the sugar to dissolve. It will only take about a minute to create a syrup.

Pour the syrup slowly over the cherries. (The all-over pin-prick holes will also keep the cherry skins from splitting when the hot syrup hits them in the jar.)

Next add enough brandy to fill the jar. No need to buy expensive brandy for this project. The cherries are the star of the show here, so it's better to spend your money on tasty high-quality organic cherries than to spend it on the booze. 

This is a good time to add a vanilla bean if you'd like.

And yes...you are supposed to leave the stems attached and the pits in the cherries. Stone fruits, like Bing cherries, are in the "Prunus" family, and contain some of the same qualities as almonds. The pits of the cherries add a unique flavor to the finished product, especially if you're patient enough to let these juicy little booze-laden gems sit and soak for a few weeks.

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One of my favorite ways to enjoy Boozy Bing Cherries is in a cocktail, but they are a great way to glam up a cheese plate too. One of my favorite cheeses? "Dinah's Cheese" - locally made by Kurtwood Farms on Vashon Island.

Snapshot of Dinah's Cheese in my fridge, next to a jar of Boozy Bing Cherries

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Comments

[Nikki]

Hi, this is a great idea to use up some of my cherries. I was going to make this for a Fathers Day gift for my Dad but he loves to drink Disaronno (almond liquer). Do you think I could substitute it for the brandy?

[Brook Hurst Stephens]

Yes :D I was already thinking what a perfect substitute that would be. It would be incredible over cheesecake too. Thanks for your comment Nikki!

[Sarah - A Beach Home Companion]

Beautiful shot Brook! That is such a great idea, I think even I could handle this one. After the cherries are gone, I think the brandy would be good in sangria.

[Whitney Boyd]

How long do these last once you have preserved them?

[Brook Hurst Stephens]

Whitney -

Keep them I'm the refrigerator with a tight-fitting lid (to prevent evaporation, among other reasons.)

Be sure the fruit is completely covered with liquid.

These should last for months. It will take a couple of weeks, at least, for them to really soak up the booze and syrup.

I know some people make them in June/July and don't eat them until the holidays but I doubt they will be around that long ;)

Thanks for reading my blog!

Brook

[Meghan]

Awesome and simple recipe! I can't wait to try it out. One question, should I split the vanilla bean or just throw it in whole? Thank you for your great blog!

[Brook Hurst Stephens]

Glad you like it Meghan!

I think you should leave the vanilla bean whole. If you split in length-wise, all the little seeds will come out and it might be an effect you don't want. (A zillion tiny seeds suspended in the syrup and clinging to the cherries.) Actually, now that I hear that description, it might be kind of pretty.

You could just snip the whole thing in half cross-wise, with a scissors, leaving it mostly intact. Depending on the freshness of your vanilla bean, you will probably still end up with plenty of true vanilla-y flavor. I put the whole thing in because it fit nicely in the jar and it made for a pretty picture. How about that for reasoning?

So happy you like my blog ~

B

[Brooke - in Oregon]

LOVE IT!! What a great and simple idea.

[Brook Hurst Stephens]

I know, right? Simple but it looks so pretty in the jar and tastes like something fancy!