Maraschino Cherry Recipe–Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Posted on June 16, 2015 by Dayphoto

This is my grandmother, on my father’s side, recipe.

If you make this in a small batch they will store in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks.

My grandmother always water bathed, but the process does make them soft. (they will darken and get softer). I’ve even tried soaking the cherries in slack lime (like you do for pickles), although I still didn’t really like the results.

Today I rarely can them.

This recipe is for one pint-sized jar. You can easily double or triple the recipe if you wish to make more at a time.

Makes just 1 pint-sized jar

Ingredients:

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups fresh cherries

To each jar you may add:

1 small (or piece of) cinnamon stick

4 whole allspice

I always add:

1/4 tsp. almond extract

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine water and sugar. Heat until sugar is dissolved, stirring gently.

Set aside and let cool to room temperature.

Add lemon juice and vanilla and stir again.

Wash cherries, leaving on the stems, if you like. I usually don’t since I never pick the cherries with the stems. I have to hurry to beat the birds.

Pit the cherries by hand. A cherry pitter will destroy the whole look of the cherry.

Add the cinnamon, allspice and almond extract to each jar, if you are using. I have made them all ways, but always love have the extra almond extract.

Fill your jar with the pitted cherries, leaving a 3/4 inch headspace.

Pack the cherries in tightly without smashing—you want the cherries to stay whole.

Pour in the flavored syrup, leaving a 1/2 inch headspace.

Use a knife and VERY gently go around the edges of the jar to dislodge any bubbles

Wipe the rim and place on the jar lid.

At this point, you can store the cherries in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks or water bath process them for longer storage.

Either way, the flavor will take at least 3 days to soak into the cherries and then they are ready to eat.

Water Bath Processing: For long-term storage, process the pint-size jar(s) in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes. I don’t know how to adjust for your altitudes.

If you want me to email you the recipe, let me know.

As always your friend,

Linda

The Cherries are Turning—Monday, June 15, 2015

Posted on June 15, 2015 by Dayphoto

My Sour Cherry THICKET (yes, I have a thicket—I made one on purpose. You see we need to keep the sides of the canal from eroding—lots of trees create lovely roots that hold the bank together.) is starting to produce.

Lovely sour cherries! Perfect for pies and homemade maraschino cherries, sauce for ice cream and jellies and jams.

I must pick a little every day, since that is how they ripen.

I try to pick first thing in the morning. Then those, which ripen during the day the birds may eat. I have to be fast…very fast! The Robins and Red-winged black birds and all the hordes of little brown birds, the Starlings and doves sit in the the pear and apple trees screeching at me telling to me to SCRAM!!!

I talk to them as I pick…’settle down. I won’t be here long. Just long enough to get some for us—it’s polite to share, you know…’

They share, but grudgingly, very grudgingly. The second I pick up my two buckets and head to the house the call goes out—SHE IS LEAVING! Hurry, we have to get as much as our tummies can hold! The tree limbs shake and shiver as the masses descend.

I won’t get tons and tons of cherries, because I do have tons and tons of birds. But what I do get will be just enough for Terry and I, and to serve for special meals come winter.

Your friend,

Linda

June 26, 2013

Posted on June 26, 2013 by Dayphoto

Our sour cherries are ready. I love those things! (Not just me, but every bird in a 5 mile radius….I have to be quick to get what I want as the birds are thick in the trees.)

Not only are the sour cherries good for pies; but sour cherry juice is good also. I boil the juice down until it is a thick as I can get it. Then I bottle it up waiting for the time I make Sour Cherry Ice Cream!!!

This ice cream definitely has a tart cherry flavor, not a sweet cherry, not a maraschino cherry. It’s got depth of flavor and cherry pucker to it. Some people will not like it at first then ask the next year if you will make it again. 🙂

Here is my recipe:

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

3/4 cup of sugar

1/4 cup instant vanilla pudding

3/4 cup cherry juice (you can also find cherry juice concentrate in the grocery stores)

2 tsp vanilla

Combine the cream and milk in a large bowl

Add the sugar and instant vanilla pudding. Beat until no lumps remain.

Add in the cherry juice and the vanilla.

THE SECRET —- Refrigerate the ice cream base for at least two hours, or up to overnight.

THEN Freeze in an ice cream maker.

When the machine finishes, scrape the ice cream into a one quart container and place in the freezer for at least 4 hours to ripen and finish hardening.

Yield: 1 quart

Yumm!

Hope you enjoy!

Linda