Anyone who has visited one of the great craft cocktail bars have seen a giant jar of red orbs suspended in a dark sauce and thought those must be maraschino cherries. Every so often you get one in a drink and to your delight it isn’t as sweet or as artificial as the neon red maraschino cherries you get in the store. Preserved cherries are different from maraschino cherries which have a lot of science in them for better or good.

According to Wikipedia after the berries are preserved in a brine solution with sulfur dioxide and calcium chloride, they are soaked in a suspension of food coloring.  Science is awesome and has it’s place in the world but sometimes, you want something a bit closer to the soil.

Enter preserved cherries.  These are simple to make and will last up to 6 months in the fridge.

Preserved Cherries (yields 2 quarts)
– adaptation from Saveur.com

• 2 quarts cherries
• zest of 1/2 a lemon
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup white wine
• 8 allspice berries
• 2 tsp. black peppercorns
• 1/2 cup pomegranate molasses

1) First you need to prepare the cherries.  I used frozen so this was just defrosting.  If you go with fresh, you will need to pit all of these.

2) We are going to make some simple syrup.  Mix two cups of water with two cups of sugar.  Bring this to a boil and let it thicken slightly (about 5 minutes).

3) Add everything to the pot except the cherries and simmer for 20 minutes.

* The hardest thing to find is the pomegranate molasses.  You can make your own but I hate working with pomegranates.  They are a mess.  I found mine in Holiday Market in Royal Oak, Mich..  Look for a well-stocked super market or a Mexican grocer.

4) Turn off the heat, add the cherries and let cool.

5) Ladle the cherries and sauce in to two quart jars.  Store in the refrigerator and use within 6 months.