FOOD NEWS
Recreate George Washington's Favorite Cocktail With The Help Of Sour Cherries
BY KAREN HART
According to his Mount Vernon estate, George Washington liked to drink a brandy-based beverage called Cherry Bounce. While times have changed, the drink can still be made today.
A cherry bounce starts with 10 pounds of fresh sour cherries that are pitted, halved, mashed, and strained before combining the extracted cherry juice with a traditional brandy.
Sour cherries are used instead of sweet cherries because sour cherries have a lower amount of sugar than sweet ones but more acidity that adds a little zing to your taste buds.
To make it, choose an alcohol for the base. Vodka's subtle flavor gives a true cherry taste when steeped with cherry juice, while bourbon and brandy bring a variety of flavors.
Let your alcohol steep for a full day in the fridge, then boil a few cups to turn it into a concentrate along with some sugar and spices like cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, and cloves.
After it cools, return the sweetened, spiced liquid to the container holding the rest of the cherry juice and let it steep for two weeks. Then it will be ready to serve.