8 hours Ago By [email protected] (Erica Martinez)
Although many people associate the color red with cherries, the truth is, these delightful summer stone fruits come in a variety of hues, including yellow, pink, purple, and almost black. And then, there's the maraschino cherry, whose color is positively extraterrestrial. For the most part, these neon red orbs originated from Gold, Rainier, or Royal Ann cherry varietals, none of which boast the shocking bright color of maraschinos.
To reach that level of rouge radiance, they've gone through the gamut of food processing. After the cherries are picked, they are brined for anywhere from four to six weeks in a solution of calcium chloride and sulfur dioxide, which preserves the fruit but also bleaches them, leaving them colorless and flavorless. Next up: re-flavor the cherries.
This is done by soaking the cherries in a syrup made with sugar, , and almond oil — this combination is intended to mimic anyway. In order to obtain their signature flavor and color, maraschino cherries are typically left in this second solution for around four weeks. Some companies use natural coloring (in the form of beet or radish juice), but there is a noticeable color and texture difference in the final product; the cherries are duller and softer.
Because of the bleaching process, maraschino cherries can actually be made in any color. You may have even seen bright green and blue ones in your supermarket. The original maraschino cherries were flavored naturally Sure, the maraschino cherries that we gobbled up as kids (and perhaps still do) have their time and place.
These tiny sugar bombs are irreplaceable in a , Shirley Temple, diner-style milkshake, ice cream sundae, nostalgic fruit salad, and more. The original maraschino cherries, however, weren't nearly as cloying and were made using a different method. To get to the beginning of maraschino cherries, you've got to look at maraschino liqueur first.
In the early 1800s, Luxardo distillery (yes, the same company that still makes those luxurious, expensive cherries you will find as the garnish on a classic or ) made its maraschino liqueur from the sour Marasca cherries that grew in what is now Croatia. This regionally well-known liqueur was made with the cherry fruit, stems, pits, and leaves. Eventually, Luxardo began selling the fruit itself.
The cherries were soaked in seawater and preserved in the maraschino liqueur. They were popular all over the world, including the United States, but when Prohibition hit in the 1920s, the alcohol-soaked cherries were outlawed. It was during this time that the super-sweet substitute maraschinos were created by an Oregon-based professor named Ernest Wiegand.
Processed though they may be, you sure can't deny their staying power. Recommended.
