The timeless art of preserving cherries in vinegar brine

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 flavour! 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, but such fruit marinades are excellent, especially for pears, plums, and cherries, my favourite.

Marinating, or preserving with vinegar, is one of the oldest methods of storing food. Vegetables or fruits are preserved using temperature and a special brine, which 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 hurrying with the preserves is worth it. 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 over long storage periods. However, marinades are mainly about flavour. And sweet-tart cherries spiced with cinnamon and cloves are delicious. Choose the freshest fruits for the marinade.

Ingredients:

• 3 kg of cherries,
• 1 kg of sugar,
• 475 ml of vinegar, preferably wine vinegar,
• 475 ml 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.