Cook's Treat
When I was a kid, my mom always roasted chicken legs in the oven before handing them over to my dad to finish on the barbecue. Once the chicken was brushed with sauce and sizzling on the grill, Dad wo...
In our local supermarket the only frozen cherries available are the dark, sweet variety, and they are darned good soaked in bourbon. But not as good as sour cherries. In Haines, sour cherries grow in abundance. One year we knocked on a random door and asked if we could pick some cherries from the trees in the yard. The householder said, “Weeelll, how much were you thinking?” We answered, “A couple of pints, maybe?” “Oh, hell yeah, fill your boots,” was the reply. Yet another reason we love Haines.
Ingredients
SERVINGS: Makes 1 pint
- 1 cup bourbon
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup birch syrup
- 1 3-inch strip lemon peel
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 star anise pod
- 1 pint frozen sour or dark sweet cherries
Preparation
Combine bourbon, syrups, almond extract, and star anise in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium low heat for about 5 minutes, just until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and add the cherries. Cool to room temperature, pour into a resealable jar, and refrigerate. Will keep for several weeks.
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