Cherry Vodka

When I visited Poland in 1995, we discovered cherry vodka! We had always wanted to make it ourselves so on Sunday we gave it a go. I picked 2kg of wild cherries on Sunday and used half to make into cherry vodka. As a result, we were cleared out of vodka so I didn't get my bloody mary I sometimes have on a Sunday evening.

Nevertheless, here's the recipe we followed for cherry vodka (we made two lots of the following):

500 grammes wild cherries (no need to stone them or remove stalks)

125 grammes white sugar

70cl bottle of cheap vodka

Add the sugar and cherries to a picking jar.

Pour in the vodka.

Seal the jar and shake (not all the sugar dissolves immediately)

Leave to stand for three months, giving it an occasional shake.

You can then bottle it or just leave it in the jars. If you do bottle it, put the cherries on some ice cream and enjoy, but don't drive the car for 24 hours afterwards!

This is a drink to have neat.

Above: David pours in the vodka. Below, the charry colour quickly infuses into the vodka.