July 12, 2004

Cherry Amaretto Preserves

Cherries are in season! And as I mentioned to Eric, I've come to really love cherries since moving to Ukraine. The ones I've had here are so delicious and fresh!

I usually ask the ladies from whom I buy cherries whether they are bez worms. Like the Russian proverb Ronald Reagan liked to quote, when buying cherries it's important to "trust, but verify."

Some of our friends swear the best cherries are with worms--they are fresher, organic, and worms know the sweetest berries. It doesn't phase me like it once did to open a cherry and flick aside the little white grub--though I can't quite pop them into my mouth without checking, like Hubby does. However, in general, our family prefers our cherries without worms. All that to say, I bought two kilos of clean cherries the other day and made Cherry Amaretto Preserves. While they still need to sit a month to really be ready, the ones I've tasted so far are a bit like maraschino cherries, but better--and would be lovely over cheesecake.

Cherry Amaretto Preserves

4 pounds cherries (preferably dark sweet)
1 pound granulated sugar
3/4 cup dark rum

Prepare six 8-ounce jars.

Wash, stem and pit cherries.

In heavy saucepan, combine cherries and sugar and cook over low heat for 1 1/2 hours. Watch carefully and stir often. Remove from heat; let cool 5 minutes and stir in amaretto. Pack cherries into prepared jars. Cover and seal. Process in boiling water bath 10 minutes.

Store in cool dark place for 1 month before using.

Posted by TulipGirl | 06:53 PM| TrackBack (0) | Words

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Comments

That sounds delicious.
Posted by: Jordana at July 13, 2004 09:01 PM

And I like my cherries better without worms too. :)
Posted by: Jordana at July 13, 2004 09:02 PM

Tonight we had freshly picked from the garden (not mine) yellow squash (grilled), sliced tomatoes, and corn(steamed). There were worms in the corn and the tomatoes. I think that means the veggies are fresher and more nutritious, although we dont eat the worms like your hubbie.
Posted by: Dana at July 14, 2004 01:28 AM

No worms? Golly, where's the adventure in that! ;-)

The preserves sound delicious! Do you send care packages back this way from time to time?

Dy
Posted by: Dy at July 14, 2004 06:46 AM

I sent some jam home for my dad, when my mom visited--but honestly, I don't think anything like that would make it through customs. (Though, peanut butter seems to arrive here just fine. *grin*)
Posted by: TulipGirl at July 14, 2004 06:56 AM

Mmmmm. I love cherries!
Posted by: Lenise at July 14, 2004 04:21 PM

Those preserves sound so yummy.
I think I would flick away the worms also. In australia i like to take the plump dark red cherries as they are usually the sweetest.
Christmas just past i bottled cherries but unfotunately they only lasted a week or two before being consumed.
Posted by: Judith at July 15, 2004 04:32 AM

Question:
Do you substitute the dark rum for the amaretto or vice versa? Or do you use both?
Posted by: Ana at August 20, 2006 04:16 PM

Hmmmm. . . I can't remember whether I used both or whether I used amaretto in place of rum. For the batch I'm planning on making, I think I'll be using amaretto for both the cooking, and then adding a little extra at the end. (It's more economical that way, and the amaretto flavor is what I'm after.)
Posted by: TulipGirl at August 20, 2006 05:12 PM

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