Fruit and alcohol have always been sweet bedfellows.
Think plums and brandy, apples and calvados, raisins and sherry and the trinity of peaches, prunes and pears paired with white or red wine.
And of course, cherries and kirsch are another brilliant saccharine combination.
The small French region of Alsace is famed for its kirsch, a fermented drink made from morello cherries.
The distilled brandy is a vestige from the Prussian empire’s presence in the region in the late 19th and early 20th century.
This cherry compote is a decadent addition to yogurt or crème fraiche.
Ingredients:
200ml kirsch
250g cherries
3 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Wash and stone the cherries. Put them in a large saucepan on low to medium heat and add the sugar, cinnamon and a little water. Gently stir to dissolve the sugar and bring to the boil. When the cherries are soft, strain the liquid into another pan and add the kirsch. Boil until the liquid reduces a little. Put the cherries into sterilised jars and pour over the reduced liquid, seal and refrigerate.
Ken Doherty is a chef and journalist. Visit his blog at assassinationcustard.blogspot.com
