Washington's Cherry Bounce

 There are a lot of myth's about George Washing whose upcoming birthday is the 22nd of this month. There's the wooden teeth one and there's that cherry tree one. He probably did cut down a tree accidentally probably for the fruit it yielded. The First President was a cherry fiend and enjoyed the fruit several different ways

New contributor Ramin Ganeshram, an award winning food writer and The Westport Museum's Director For History and Cuture wrote this fascinating piece for today's New York Times Wednesday Food section. Cherries were a big part of his estate in Mount Vernon ,Virginia. Plant nurseries were selling cherries varieties named for him  during his Philadelphia presidency . His enslaved workers gew multiple varieties which were preserved and sugared. Cherries were a versatile fruit,then and now.In washington's day they could be dried and baked into fruit cakes and stirred into sauces.They were also incorporated into one of his favorite drinks   cherry bounce/.It's a mix of tart cherries,cinnamon and cloves steeped in brandy.cognac whiskey or rum.It came with the English who called and still call it cherry brandy. The name bounce itself came from old time usage of the word meaning to strike or slap (where people in the Caribbean still use the term) The name probably came from the kick it brought to the drinker.

There are still ounce lovers today.Two companies today Tamworth Distilling and its' sister company Quaker City Mercantile included a recipe based on Martha Washington's one. Chef Patrick O'Connell chef at the Inn at Little WAshington uses his own version with apple brandy from Lairds, a hard cider and apple brandy distributor that Washington might have gone to. (It was established in the mid 1700's not far from here the Battle of Monmouth was fought). It's an easy recipe with the mod.It's then let to sit for two days and ern version consisting of three cups tart cherry juice (use Michigan;s Cherry Republics tart cherry juice for this, They ,by far have the best) along with four cups Morello cherries , cloves sugar and a cinnamon stick two cups of a good Cognac or brandy is used for the bounce.It's basically cooking all the fruit and spices along with granulated sugar . The brandy or cognac is then stirred in and the mix is then simmered Its then left to sit for two days Strain the mixtire through a high grain cheese cloth. The bounce is good on the rocks or with a shot of seltzer  to give it an adult  fizzy cherry soda vibe.

Yes , Washington was known for cherries. Yet it was a popular drink made from his beloved Morellos that gave him joy. Try it for  a lively drink this President's day weekend.