These garnishes add a grace note to cocktails—and make an excellent gift, too

Garnishes can be beautiful, vibrant, eye-catching additions to what we eat and drink. The more appealing, the more they add to our enjoyment. Though usually small in size, garnishes can have a large impact on our overall experience; just because they’re small doesn’t mean they’re not integral to the flavours and finish.
Enter the cocktail cherry.
Cherries have long been part of cocktails in many forms. Many may visualize sweet, candy-red maraschino cherries lanced by a plastic sword atop a Shirley Temple or in the bottom of a Manhattan. Those cherries have their place in some situations, but they are NOT your only cherry option.
Years ago, a mentor of mine said, “Your cocktail is only as good as your weakest ingredient.” This wisdom stayed with me, urging me to find more flavourful and thoughtful pieces to my ever-evolving cocktail puzzles, including garnishes.
Using dark sweet cherries (or sour), it’s easy to create your own garnish and truly elevate your cocktail experience, without the cloying sweetness of a maraschino. Fresh cherries are preferred, but frozen also work well (especially when fresh cherries are out of season). They are then combined with spirit(s), spices, herbs, citrus, sweeteners, heck, even espresso if desired, to create a wonderfully complex cocktail cherry.
Bonus: The syrup they soak in can be used as a liqueur to add even more deliciousness to your cocktail or ice cream.
For any questions or additional tips, please reach out to @m.benevoli on Instagram.
How to make boozy cocktail cherries
You will need:
INGREDIENTS:
1 (600 g) bag frozen pitted dark sweet cherries, thawed for about 30 minutes and divided
1 2/3 cups (400 mL) bourbon, such as Basil Hayden, plus additional if needed
0.5 cup cane sugar
1 oz brewed espresso
0.5 tsp fine sea salt
10 whole black peppercorns
5 whole cloves
2 tsp vanilla extract
12 dashes aromatic bitters
2 oz lemon juice
EQUIPMENT:
A large stock pot fitted with a canning rack
5 (250 mL) canning jars with lids
A small pot
A medium pot
Tools: tongs, ladle, wide-mouth funnel; optional magnetized canning-lid lifter, canning jar lifter
Method:
1. Fill a large stock or canning pot fitted with a canning rack ¾ full of water, cover with a lid and bring to a rolling boil. (You will need the canning rack so the jars do not sit directly on the bottom of the pot, where the glass may break.)
2. Meanwhile, prepare the jars. Wash canning jars with soap and warm water; set aside to air dry. Fill a small pot half full of water, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add canning (snap) lids for 10 minutes.
3. In a medium pot, add 3 to 4 cherries, bourbon, sugar, espresso, salt, peppercorns, cloves, vanilla and bitters. Bring to a simmer for 10 minutes, then strain into a large measuring cup and set aside.
4. Divide the remaining cherries between the jars, filling them to just below the base of the neck. Pour prepared mixture over the cherries so they are just covered, then add 2 tsp lemon juice to each jar. There should be about 0.5 inch of headspace between the lip of the jar and the top of the contents. Top with additional bourbon if necessary.
5. Wipe clean the neck of the filled jars. Using tongs or a magnetized lid lifter, and working one at a time, remove the canning (snap) lids from the simmering water. Place one on each jar, then carefully tighten canning neck rings (screw bands) until secured.
6. Once the water in the large pot has come to a rolling boil, place jars in it using tongs or a canning jar lifter. Cover the pot with its lid and process for 25 minutes. Don’t over-process or cherries can get mushy.
7. Once boiling process has completed, remove jars from pot and place on a kitchen towel. Wipe lids dry, then cool to room temperature. (See note.) Tighten screw bands if needed.
8. Voilà! You should have enough cherries for your cocktails and to gift to loved ones during the holidays.
Note: To create a proper seal, the slight mound on top of the snap lip should go from convex to concave, making a popping sound and creating a slight dimple. If it doesn’t, the preserves are not shelf-stable; keep them in the refrigerator and use them within two months.
Use boozy cocktail cherries at home:
—Words and photos by Matthew Benevoli