Luxardo Cherries Jar

Luxardo Cherries Jar is a jar of maraschino-style cherries packed in syrup, made by Luxardo in the Veneto region of Italy. They are the dark, dense kind used in bar work, and they have little in common with the bright red, artificially flavored cocktail cherries from a supermarket jar. Cherries of this type typically have a deep, nearly black-red color. The flesh is firm with a slight chew, and the flavor is a balance of cooked dark fruit, gentle almond-like notes from the cherry pit, and a sweetness that stays rounded instead of sharp. The syrup is thick and glossy, and it is usable in its own right, not only as packing liquid. Because the syrup is concentrated, it is worth using on purpose. A teaspoon or two stirred into a drink adds body and cherry depth. This works especially well in whiskey drinks, where the syrup can stand in for part of the sugar. In an Old Fashioned, one cherry and a small spoonful of syrup in place of a sugar cube gives a darker, fruitier result. The same approach suits a Manhattan, which traditionally takes a cherry garnish dropped to the bottom of a chilled coupe or Nick and Nora glass. It also works in a Aviation, a Last Word variation, a Whiskey Sour, or a Singapore Sling, where a cherry on a pick adds a savory-sweet counterpoint to the citrus. For spirits-forward drinks, stir with ice, strain, and add the cherry last so it sits at the bottom of the glass. Outside the bar, the cherries pair well with vanilla ice cream, panna cotta, cheesecake, and dark chocolate desserts, and they can be chopped into brownie or cake batters. A cherry with a little syrup spooned over plain yogurt or a cheese plate with aged cheeses is another simple use. For serving, keep the jar refrigerated after opening, and use a clean spoon or pick each time to keep the syrup from being contaminated. Drinks look best in small stemmed glassware, such as a coupe, where the cherry is visible, or in a rocks glass for stirred whiskey drinks served over a large ice cube.