The homemade brandied cherries that my friend Marta gave me for Christmas (last year) had run out, but it was still the height of Manhattan season (the cocktail, not the island). I had to do something.
Supermarket Maraschino cherries weren’t an option. For years I told myself that they were an amusing retro touch to my cocktails, but, in truth, the waxy, tasteless, fluorescent little pieces of undead fruit are just too foul to be funny.
I did a little research, and it turns out that long ago Maraschino cherries were a true delicacy, before agribusiness with its red dye number whatever got to them. They were made from the Marasca cherry, a small, dark, tart native of Croatia, and were probably also macerated in a liqueur made from the same fruit. I decided I would try to make preserved cherries that were at least inspired by the classic.
The liqueur still exists, and it’s wonderful. Made from the pits as well as the flesh of these cherries, Maraschino’s delicate cherry flavor also has a slightly bitter, almond-like undertone. Luxardo of Italy makes a delicious artisanal Maraschino. Pleasantly sweet, it has a complex, balanced flavor and a lovely aroma of cherries. It’s great to sip over ice, mix into cocktails, and, I discovered, make Maraschino cherries at home.
Luxardo also makes bottled Marasca cherries, but they’re preserved in syrup, not the liqueur. At $16 a jar they’re also expensive, but they might be a good choice if you’re looking for a hooch-free garnish. They’re available at www.kegworks.com. Luxardo Maraschino liqueur is available at good liquor stores and online at www.drinkupnewyork.com for about $29 for a 750ml bottle.
I found lots of recipes for Maraschino cherries, many of them complicated and involving boiling or brining the cherries and lots of ingredients (almond extract, sugar, cherry brandy) other than the traditional liqueur. I decided to start simple, though, and used only frozen pitted cherries (in season I’ll use fresh ones) and Luxardo Maraschino. They aren’t true Marasca cherries, of course, but I was delighted with the result. They’re only lightly sweet and still taste like real cherries, but they have also taken on the sophisticated flavor of the liqueur. The liquid too is delicious, having, in exchange, assumed the taste of fresh cherries. I’ll bet it would be delicious over ice or with soda.
Recipe
Ingredients
Luxardo Maraschino liqueur
Frozen cherries
Equipment: resealable glass jar
Instructions
1. Pack frozen cherries into a clean resealable jar.
2. Fill with Luxardo Maraschino liqueur.
3. Refrigerate for about two weeks before using. Keep refrigerated.
I also learned that the proper pronunciation of Maraschino is “maras-KEE-no.” I wonder if it’s it too late to restore this delicacy’s name too?
