This is a post that I did back in early summer but I wanted to do it again with some updates.

ORIGINAL POST   (with updates)                                                                                                                 You know all of those cherries that are in stores and at farm markets and maybe even in your back yard right now. Well I wanted to tell you about a great way  to preserve and then use them later in the year.

Everyone knows how great a cherry pie can be but have you ever had brandied cherries? In Europe they like to preserve fruit in all sorts of ways. One way the Italians do cherries is to place them into clean sterile jars and then pour brandy over them to cover them. Then they close them up and let them sit in the pantry for a while. You can do this too, you will need:

Fresh clean pitted cherries

A good brandy or even a good sweet red wine

Canning jar with tight fitting lid that will hold the cherries and brandy

Place the cherries in the jar and pour the liquid over the cherries just to cover them. Place the lid on and secure. Set in a dark cool place like your pantry or closet. Take out for holidays or bring them out for company to serve over vanilla ice-cream. Try them in a variety of ways like the photos at the top of this post. They are strong but delicious and it only takes a little bit. **You can also use dried cherries; but you will need to carefully warm the brandy and pour it over the dried cherries. Close up the jar after the brandy has returned to room temp. The warm brandy will swell the cherries and it makes an amazing sweet syrup to use or drink!

Bona petite