I’m not a bourbon drinker. Not at all. I’m not really a whiskey girl either, although I do like my Jameson (& some Irish coffee now & then). I’m more a beer person- I’ll take a good quality beer over almost anything else, any day of the week. I do enjoy a nice bottle of wine now and then, too (I don’t drink the entire bottle myself, I swear) but I’m not an aficionado. I know what I like, and that’s all I need. However I know absolutely nothing about bourbon or whiskey, so when it comes to posts like this I have to usually ask for Jay’s assistance. I don’t know what’s good, what’s bad, or what tastes like gasoline, ’cause to me it basically all tastes the same.
Jay gave me a bottle of Blanton’s bourbon to do with as I wish a few months back. I think he was just tired of me hounding him asking what bourbon I can use (and god forbid I use the REALLY good stuff for baking or something). Blanton’s is apparently very good bourbon, and I’ve used it quite a bit, so I’ll be needing a new bottle soon. It all started with the bourbon pickles, really, but it seems there’s always something awesome to make that includes bourbon. Frosting, pickles, and now these cherries. They’re like the cherries that go on top of a very grown-up sundae.
(Speaking of Jay, today is our anniversary… 9 years! I love you, Hikesints! *wink* And thank you for my beautiful Tiffany & Co. present below…)
…
Back to the booze. So I went to my local fruit market and they had 2 lb. bags of big, beautiful cherries for the amazing price of $1.99. ONE DOLLAR AND NINETY-NINE CENTS. FOR A 2LB. BAG. Do you realize that in an average market cherries are around $5.99 a pound? I couldn’t pass up getting me some, although I didn’t have any idea what I was going to do with them. I figured, worst comes to worse, I can always make preserves or jam, or even a clafouti. But then I thought of an infused liquor, and I knew that’s the first thing I was gonna do. I’ve been wanting to try it for some time now, after seeing some at Punk Domestics.
…
If there’s one recipe on this blog that a trained monkey could make, this is it. It’s not even a recipe. It’s more like… just instructions I guess. And it goes a little something like this:
- Buy cherries.
- Buy bourbon.
- Wash cherries.
- Clean a jar. Any kind of jar, any size of jar that you want- depends on how many cherries you have/how much bourbon you want to infuse.
- Fill jar with cherries (stem on, pit in) anywhere from 1/2 – 3/4 full.
- Pour the bourbon over cherries.
- Put the lid on the jar, put the jar on a shelf (away from direct light), let it sit for a month.
- Drink.
That is it.
…
In one month, you’ll be drinking cherry bourbon. And also eating bourbon-infused cherries, if you wish. The cherries are excellent served with cheese on a cheese platter. Or you can take them out of the jar, pit them, and use them in clafouti or a tart. You can also plop ’em on top of an ice cream sundae. The bourbon is great either straight up, on the rocks, or mixed with Coke, etc. If when you open it it isn’t sweet enough for you you can add a little brown sugar to the jar. Just close it and give it a shake.
You don’t have to use fresh cherries like I did. I’ve heard dried cherries work too (and Trader Joe’s has a great bag of pitted Montmorency dried cherries for a great price, although they’re tart so you might want to definitely add that brown sugar if you use these). And another great idea would be to put a vanilla bean in there, too. The type of bourbon you’ll want to use, as a general guideline, is one that isn’t top shelf, but definitely not a cheapo one. Any mid-range, decent tasting bourbon will do. The best thing to do is to taste it first. That way you’ll know if it’s worth using/drinking or if you should just use it to make Molotov cocktails.
Kidding.
…
I have to wait a month to open my jar & drink it, but I’ll keep you updated for sure.
Until then, please do me a favor and go buy a handmade item from TOPSTITCH: 100% of all the proceeds THIS ENTIRE MONTH are going towards The Remi Project. As you may know, both Yoyo from TOPSTITCH & Ariana from The Remi Project are very good friends of mine, so I’d really appreciate you helping out. If you’re unaware of Remi’s story, please go and read about it. He really is a miracle. Once you read it, you’ll see why it’s so important to help out by buying a key fob or donating. Not only that, but Ariana‘s dream is to open a rescue shelter, so by donating to help with Remi’s initial enormous vet costs & his ongoing care, you’re also helping to encourage her to achieve her dream. So buy a key fob for yourself, a covered composition book for your friend, or your kids. You’ll be helping a great cause! We have to start helping our four legged friends even more- they have no voice but ours. Especially on the heels of Lennox’s horrible & unfair death in Belfast, I think we all need to step back & stop thinking of animals as breeds & start thinking of them as living things with hearts & souls.
Because that’s what they are.
…
I know there are a bunch of animal lovers that read this blog, so I think you’ll all really want to help. And what’s better than helping out but also getting something awesome in exchange?!
Thanks a bunch in advance, guys!
…
I'm Marilla. A 30-something artist, hobby baker, home canning enthusiast, gardener, DIY-er, wife, mommy of a baby boy and dog mom (to another baby boy) from New York. 
Om, nom, nom, NOM!!!
I have done this with vodka and blueberries, adding the vodka to lemonade along with some of the berries. Same directions, only no sugar is required if adding to a sweet drink 🙂
I was thinking of trying a strawberry vodka… I’m making homemade vanilla extract soon too, which got me thinking about vanilla vodka. Ahh the possibilities!
Oh yeah–infusing liquors (bourbon or otherwise) is one of my favorite things! I have cherries marinating in vodka right now, and a jar of plums in bourbon, and a whole bunch of other things besides. LOVE it.
I can’t believe I’ve actually never done it before! Where have I been!? Drinking beer & baking cupcakes I guess 😀 Haha.
thanks for the shout out and thank you so much Yoyo!!
<3 Remi & the gang
Of course! We love Remi 😀 And Yoyo!
You know, if you have sous-vide equipment, you could put the jars in a water bath at 153F for a few hours. You’ll get your lovely results and save a month. You can do this with any liquor infusion that strikes your fancy, too.
Just sayin’ 🙂
I’m not sure what sous-vide equipment is, Jeremy. Is it like canning equipment?
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