Wandering the fruit and vegetable markets in southern France can be inspiring. This year, we have spent some time in the big Sunday market in Libourne, about 40k outside Bordeaux on the Bergerac road. There was the usual range of wonderful stallholders, selling delicious produce at fantastic prices. I was attracted by some magnificent looking cherries. I wanted to buy them. The Wife advised, as she often does, caution. What were they for? Had I a plan? Did I know what I wanted to cook with them?
The answer to all three questions being; “Ehhh”, “Not really” and “No”, in that (or any) order. Still, we returned to Libourne a week later and I got to buy more than a kilo of lovely cherries for the price of cup of coffee in Dublin. As we left the market, the Wife repeated her quizzing. My answers being; “But of course”, “But of course” and “But of course, Preserved Cherries with Herbs, what else?” (in exactly that order). The great thing about my seemingly flippant retort is that it will take 5 to 6 months for the cherries to mature in alcohol. By then, any potential “I told you so” over the cherry purchase will have gone out of our relationship. Either that or the Wife will have eventually had enough of me and will have departed herself!

The light in France is conducive to half decent photography. Bless it.
Ingredients for Preserved Cherries with Herbs
- 1.2kg of top quality cherries
- .5 kg of sugar
- .5 litre of water
- .75 litre bottle of vodka
- A handful of fresh thyme
- A handful of fresh lemon balm
Here’s what I did.
I drove to the local supermarket and got my hands on half a dozen preserving jars. Next, I washed and dried the cherries. I added the sugar to the water and warmed it until the sugar had dissolved. Then I divided the cherries between the jars (enough for 6 jars).

This represents long term planning for me. I hope she likes them.
I added some thyme and lemon balm to each jar. Then I added the vodka to the sugar / water mixture.

Fruit, sugar, alcohol. What can possibly go wrong?
I filled each of the jars with sugary alcohol mixture and sealed.
So, what happens next?
Nothing happens now until Christmas, at the earliest. The jars will be kept in a dark cupboard and I will have a reminder on my calendar to take them out and try them either with some meat or as part of a dessert with ice cream. When they are the success that I believe they will be, all thoughts of my glib remarks will be a faded memory and the Wife and I will enjoy these lovely preserved cherries with herbs.

Will she be with me to enjoy them? I certainly hope so…
Either that or she will have had enough of my antics, will have left me and I can spend Christmas eating the cherries, drinking the alcoholic syrup and reminiscing on happier times on holidays, in France, with the Wife.
Linda Duffin | 9th August 2016
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What a lovely idea, I’ll bet they’ll taste amazing. And it’s a twofer – boozy cherries and their syrup. If Mrs B kicks you out you are welcome to bring the contents of your preserves cupboard (and yourself) to Suffolk. We’ll make room for you. Sadly though, from our pov, I think it’s highly unlikely. Lx
Conor Bofin | Author | 9th August 2016
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I thought I warned you about this before. The Wife reads this stuff and the game will be up if you say this type of thing in public!
Linda Duffin | 9th August 2016
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I don’t think you’ve got a prayer of her letting you go. You’re far too handy in the kitchen. 😀
Conor Bofin | Author | 12th August 2016
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You may be right, though I can’t get complacent….
Linda Duffin | 12th August 2016
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Perish the thought.
Mad Dog | 9th August 2016
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How very French – what a lovely idea!
Conor Bofin | Author | 9th August 2016
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Oui Monsouir. Merci.
Mad Dog | 9th August 2016
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De rien 🙂
Claire | 9th August 2016
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Fantastic – in my experience cherries in alcohol just get better with the years – we call them psycho cherries in our house for a complicated reason. I haven’t tried adding herbs before will try that next time. have you made cassis?
Conor Bofin | Author | 9th August 2016
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Never made cassis. I want to hear the psycho cherry story though.
chef mimi | 9th August 2016
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Beautiful. I made cherry vodka (on the blog) and it was the best of all of my vodka infusing experiments! Can’t wait to see what you do with these!
Conor Bofin | Author | 9th August 2016
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Mimi, I haven’t thought that far ahead. I will get my act together between now and the end of the year so I can enjoy them. All suggestions welcomed.
anyone4curryandotherthings | 9th August 2016
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How lovely to see you on my screen again – the last few posts did not appear via WP with me. I wondered what happened – France? Eh – wishing you and the Mrs. 🙂 a wonderful peaceful holiday.
I love this new site of yours – fantastic!!! And the cherries – what a great idea to do them “with herbs” – please Sir, do keep a jar for me?!
Conor Bofin | Author | 9th August 2016
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Thanks indeed Carina. Blame my ineptitude for the lack of appearance. I think it’s all fixed now. Enjoying the break no end.
Best,
C
StefanGourmet | 9th August 2016
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I got an e-mail notification but did not see this in the WP app.
Tasty Eats Ronit Penso | 9th August 2016
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This look like it’s going to be so pleasing, I’m quite sure the first scenario is more likely to happen. But it’s always wise to have plan B! 🙂
Conor Bofin | Author | 9th August 2016
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They are not a week in the jars do the liquid is starting to turn a nice red colour. I can’t wait to get into them. I suspect the Wife will hang around until Christmas anyway. Just to get a taste…
Tasty Eats Ronit Penso | 9th August 2016
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lol that’s what I call optimism! 🙂
StefanGourmet | 9th August 2016
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Love this, Conor. Without the herbs besides preserved cherries you’re also making ciliecello 🙂 With the herbs, it’s a cross with amaro. I think you’ve ensured that the wife will endure your company at least until it is time to eat these cherries! 🙂
Conor Bofin | Author | 9th August 2016
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I’m really looking forward to opening the jars. Sometime next year, I think.
StefanGourmet | 9th August 2016
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Looking forward to the post! I imagine it is difficult to get the right ratio of herbs to cherries.
Conor Bofin | Author | 9th August 2016
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Only time (lots of time) will tell.
Tara Sparling | 9th August 2016
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There you go, raising the blogging stakes again. Last time it was knife skills, now it’s artful on-location food photography. It’s very wonderful. Do you ever get hate mail?
Conor Bofin | Author | 9th August 2016
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Only from you Tara. Only from you…
Tara Sparling | 9th August 2016
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Good. I do like to be ahead of the crowd.
Lisa @ cheergerm | 10th August 2016
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That Frenchy light, sigh. I think that your lovely missus is highly likely to choose to stay, based purely on the fact that being a sensible woman, she would want a ‘look in’ on those delicious looking boozy cherries. Sunshine in a jar.
Conor Bofin | Author | 10th August 2016
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I hope so Lisa, I really hope so…
Lisa @ cheergerm | 10th August 2016
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Just to add, this didn’t show in my WP feed but your last one did, go figure.
Conor Bofin | Author | 10th August 2016
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Arrgghh! Is about all I have to say.
ChgoJohn | 10th August 2016
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Well, if the wife isn’t a fan, perhaps you should use 150 proof grain alcohol, as I’ve done in the past. It’s not like she’ll try a few and suddenly approve. She just won’t care. 😀
Conor Bofin | Author | 10th August 2016
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Excellent plan John. Stupification should do the trick, if rational pleading fails me.
Frank Fariello | 10th August 2016
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She’d be a fool to leave you—at least not before trying those cherries… 😉
Conor Bofin | Author | 10th August 2016
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Thanks Frank. I may leave them to mature a little longer so…
Amanda | 10th August 2016
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I love cherries! This sounds amazing! I now have plans for my small jar of moonshine, but I’m also tinkering with the idea of adding juniper berries rather than herbs. Does that sound like it would work?
Conor Bofin | Author | 12th August 2016
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Unquestionably. Juniper berries are used in the making of gin (as far as I know). They have a lovely dry flavour that would add a lot. Good call Amanda.
Michelle | 11th August 2016
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I’m glad I’m not the only one to do preserving on vacation. A couple of years ago in Michigan I made jam all week long. People thought me crazy, but we never get the cherries and plums like they have up there!
Conor Bofin | Author | 12th August 2016
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I was so tempted to buy more jars, apricots and brandy. However, if the cherries have a chance of preserving the marriage, the apricots might just get me to the divorce courts straight away. The jam sounds like a great thought Michelle. While I have been out cycling the roads of St. Emelion, I have come across bush after bush of ripe raspberries. Nobody seems to take nay care of them….
anotherfoodieblogger | 11th August 2016
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You must be still having WP gremlins. I looked for your post on my readerboard yesterday, and after today when I didn’t see it I went straight to your site. Well, there it was, like clockwork but it didn’t happen for me automagically. Alas, I found your beautiful boozy cherry post, yay! I think everything you have in this wonderful concoction will make some wonderful dishes pre/post-Christmas, for sure!
Conor Bofin | Author | 12th August 2016
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I hope the gremlins sort themselves out sooner rather than later. I may have to get another Happiness Engineer on the case. I’m looking forward to opening the jars.
katechiconi | 16th August 2016
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I have no idea how I came to miss this post, but at least I’m here now. My personal opinion is that the Wife will be so ravished by the flavour of the cherries that you will be berated for not making twice the quantity. And of course, it will have been her idea all along…
Conor Bofin | Author | 16th August 2016
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It always was (or was going to be Kate)….
Simply Splendid Food | 15th January 2017
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My German cousins always had cherries preserved in rum (home made). You could buy them at the German deli. My aunt made a flan with rum cherries and whipped cream. Memories of black forest cake dance in my head! 💖
Conor Bofin | Author | 15th January 2017
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I have four jars of cherries in vodka and sugar at the back of a press. I made them in July. Time to sample them.