This year it looked like we were in for a reasonable crop, so I started to pick cherries a few days ago. This morning, DH and I picked a load more and I judged that I had about enough to make a good batch of Cherry Vodka. I had rediscovered my first Cherry Vodka recipe a couple of ears ago, but we hadn't had a decent cherry harvest since.
This evening, I got out the cherry stoner. It needed cleaning and disinfecting. I do this every time I use it, but it still needs it again before use. I then began the labourious task of destalking the cherries, filling the stoner, using the stoner, and then going round again. I had two full bowls of stoned cherries, and this weighed about 900g. Perfect.
The recipe called for them to be crushed. I used my Thermomix on a low speed, and that worked well. Into a ginormous Kilner jar, added sugar, cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg. Stirred. And the Kilner jar cracked.
I stared at it in disbelief.
I stared at it, wondering if I could tip the cherries out and still use them.
Of course I couldn't. I touched the crack and that proved to me that I couldn't assume there was no glass particles in the cherries.
I swore.
I wrapped the whole thing up in several wads of newspaper and then in carrier bags, and put it in the bin.
What a shame. What a waste!
