Cherry vinegar preserves: A gourmet's guide to winter flavor

My aunt masterfully prepares preserves in vinegar. At her name day celebration in the winter, the first things to disappear are the cherries, which she serves with pâté and other roasted meats. They really enhance the flavor! This year, I decided to make two jars of such cherries, as they also pair excellently with cheeses.

Cherries are the queens of preserves. They really get the canning season started. You can make jams, juices, liqueurs, and compotes with them. Marinating them in vinegar is a bit less popular. Such fruit marinades are excellent, especially pears, plums, and my favorite, cherries.

Marinating, or preserving with vinegar, is one of the oldest methods of storing food. Vegetables or fruits are preserved at different temperatures and in special brines. It prevents the development of microorganisms, so the preserves don't spoil. To prepare the brine, you need vinegar (usually spirit vinegar), sugar, salt, and other spices that suit the marinated fruits or vegetables. Such preserves can be stored for several years.

The season for cherries is short, so it's worth hurrying with the preserves. These fruits contain plenty of vitamins and nutrients. For years, it has been known that they help with insomnia. During marinating, they don't lose all their valuable properties; for instance, they retain vitamin C, which often breaks down due to chemical reactions occurring over long storage periods. However, marinades are mainly about flavor. And sweet-tart cherries spiced with cinnamon and cloves are delicious. Choose the freshest fruits for the marinade.

Ingredients:                  

• 7 lbs of cherries
• 2 lbs of sugar
• 2 cups of vinegar, preferably wine vinegar
• 2 cups of water
• cloves and cinnamon to taste

Preparation:              

1. Boil the sugar, vinegar, water, cloves, and cinnamon, then cool the marinade.
2. Pierce the washed cherries and pour the marinade over them. Let sit for a whole day.
3. The next day, drain the marinade, bring it to a boil again, and cool it.
4. Place the cherries in sterilized jars, pour the marinade over them. Seal the jars and pasteurize for 25 minutes.