(Formerly Frankie's Brandied Cherries)
I can't find quality cherries here in MN, so logically the next step is to try to reconstitute dried cherries. Those were ok but I finally got a hair up in me to try the REAL DEAL! I found a recipe in "the Art of the Bar" by Hollinger and Schwartz then I tweaked it just for me:
Frankie's method
· 6 lbs dark, sweet cherries
· 3/4 cup sugar
· 1 cup water
· 1/4 cup lemon juice
· 2 sticks cinnamon
· 1/4 cup brandy
My Method
· 2 lbs dark sweet cherries
· 1/8 cup granulated sugar
· 1/8 cup brown sugar
· 1/3 cup water
· 2/3 oz lemon juice
· <1 stick cinnamon (yes I sawed the hell out of it)
· 2 1/2 oz NaVan
Wash and pit the cherries. Combine, in a large saucepan, sugar, water, lemon juice, cinnamon. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low. Add the cherries and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, take the cinnamon stick out and stir in NaVan. Transfer to a jar. Refrigerate. (they say up to 2 weeks but they didn't last us that long)
They work well in old-fashioneds and manhattans, I’ve even been known to muddle them up in a pseudo-Tom Collins ( not a Collins at all really)
Cheers,
Ole