Here where I live in Southwestern Ohio, you don’t have to look far to find wild black cherry trees. There’s several on our old country road and they’re almost ripe.
If I can harvest enough, I’m going to make a batch of wild cherry bounce, that centuries old medicinal/cordial recipe with 3 basic ingredients: cherries, sugar and booze. Most of the time bourbon or brandy is used, but vodka works, too. They each lend their own nuances to the bounce.
Meanwhile, the domestic dark cherries are in season so those will go into the first couple of batches.
This year I’m updating my classic recipe a bit.
I’m making one with bourbon and the other with brandy. I’m going to add a few spices to one of the batches.
As always, with my heirloom recipes, there’s a story that goes along. My recipe is from childhood friend and Kentucky reader, Ann Rudloff’s mother Mary, who’s probably making batches of bounce in heaven. “Good for what ails you, especially in winter," Mary told me.
Cherry bounce is multi-purpose — a good medicinal since cherries are anti-inflammatory. Also a lovely cordial.
Those of you who’ve made my cherry bounce have become fans of this elixir. One reader sent me photos. “I bottle the bounce with fancy labels and it’s a coveted gift at Christmas”, he said.
The easy part of cherry bounce is the simplicity of the recipe. The hard part? Patience. It takes a good 3 months to infuse, but totally worth it.
Maybe you’d like to make cherry bounce. Just don’t imbibe too much at once — you may find yourself “bouncing” around!
Mary’s cherry bounce
Mary used clear (not colored) rock crystal candy. Sugar works, too.
Cherries can be pitted or not. I prefer to leave cherries unpitted.
This year I’m going to prick the cherries to help flavor infuse more thoroughly.
Ingredients
1 pound fresh dark cherries stemmed, unpitted or pitted
Enough rock candy (on stick or string) to make 12 oz or more to taste or 2 cups granulated sugar
About 4 cups or 1 bottle bourbon whiskey, 750 ml, or about 4 cups brandy or vodka
Instructions
Put cherries in large glass jar. Pour sugar and alcohol over. Put lid on. Leave on counter and shake daily until sugar dissolves.
Then let infuse 3 months or more in dark, cool place.
Remove sticks or strings from rock candy.
Strain or not, your choice.
Label - if you leave cherries in, and they have pits, note that. Don’t eat pits!
Store in pantry.
Note:
How much to drink?
We take a couple spoonfuls as a medicinal (take into account this has an alcohol base), or in a cordial glass as a liqueur.
Tips:
Can’t find fresh dark cherries?
Use frozen, unsweetened, thawed.
Gilding the lily
Make a little cheesecloth pouch, add 1/2” cinnamon stick, 2 whole cloves and 1 whole allspice. Tie pouch, add to infusion, and remove when bounce is done.
Fun fact
Martha Washington made batches of cherry bounce for husband, George, who packed canteens of it for his Allegheny Mountains trip in 1784.