"A bag of cherries please," I said to the sweet Italian man on a street corner in Venice. He handed over the bag and I promptly sat down and ate that bag of cherries down to the very last one. Eating a seasonal bag 'o cherries in Italy is one thing. Buying a bag at your local market is another. Still delicious why not add another element to the mix? Here's a recipe that gives the cherry a boozy kick and a candied texture that packs a punch! Enjoy!
Recipe
8 Tbsp Kirsch
4 C red wine
Juice of 1 large lemon
Zest of 1 large lemon
½ C granulated sugar
1 lb Bing cherries with stems
In a large non-reactive saucepan combine Kirsch, wine, lemon juice and zest and sugar. Bring to a simmer stirring until sugar dissolves. Submerge cherries in liquid and simmer on low for 20 minutes or until cherries begin to soften. Take off heat, place in glass bowl and cool in refrigerator. Serve in individual decorative bowls stems up with some liquid. Yields 8-10 servings.
