Cherry Syrup

Let me just start this post off with two simple statements:

1. I Love where I live because of the amazing fruits and vegetables that grow in the area.
2. The bank I work at has amazing customers who bring us the fabulous fruits and vegetables grown locally. 

Just look at these cherries, they are huge and there was no way everyone in the office could eat them all so Friday, after everyone had been snacking on them for a few days and after everyone had taken huge bags full home to their families, I took what was left wanting to try some new things with cherries.

My first round of inspiration came when my children repeatedly asked me to make pancakes for breakfast. I thought that a cherry syrup would be perfect with the Oatmeal Pancakes we eat in this house all the time.  I wasn't sure if the best pancakes in the world could be any tastier, but I quickly discovered that this homemade cherry syrup elevated my favorite pancakes in the world to the "bestest pancakes ever ever ever," according to my 4 year old who, if you didn't know, is a brilliant.

This syrup could be used for any variety of uses, pancakes and waffles, ice cream, glaze for pork tenderloin, and even as a spread on sandwiches or wraps.  The flavor is tart and sweet with a spicy hint from the dash of cinnamon I added. Try this recipe with just about any fruit this summer, your family will love the results!

Cherry Syrup

Recipe Source: A Cook's Quest

4 cups cherrys pitted and cut in half

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

dash of cinnamon

Pit the cherrys and cut them in half.  If you don't have a handy dandy cherry pitter just cut them open and pop the pit out.   Throw into a food processor and blend until smooth. 

Pour the liquefied cherrys into a sieve in order to remove the skin and pulp.  Add the sugar and water to a heavy sauce pan.  Stirring constantly, bring the mixture to a boil.  Allow to cook 8-10 minutes or until reduced and the mixture begins to thicken.  This is when you really want to pay attention because at this point the longer you cook it, the thicker your end result will be.  I cooked mine about 12 minutes because I wanted a thicker product. 

Remove the syrup from the heat, allow to cool slightly and serve immediately or pour into air tight jars and refrigerate.

 **Cook's Note- If you don't have a food processor you can just cook the cherries whole until they are soft, mash them with a potato masher to extract the juices then strain. Return to the heat and boil until the mixture reduces.  You can also do this without straining the solids out for a more rustic presentation. 

Other fruits that you can do this with:

Apples

Strawberries

Blackberries

Raspberries

Huckleberries

Grapes

Blueberries

Make sure you taste your fruit and start with 1/4 cup of sugar for about 2 cups of fruit.  Some fruit may require more other fruit might be less.  Don't be afraid to add other flavors too, cinnamon is a great addition to almost every fruit above.

Total Cost $.05
The only thing I had to pay for was the sugar and cinnamon.