Now that summer is in full swing, I’ve been thinking a lot about pie. Discussing favorite pie flavors with friends, saving up pie recipes, and keeping an eye out for sales on seasonal fruit. So when I saw a major sale on cherries, I knew I had to make a cherry pie. I wanted to put my own twist on the recipe though, and what better way to do that than adding a little bourbon? Maybe it’s just because it’s my favorite liquor and I always have a little around, but I find that bourbon really lends itself well to cooking applications. Here, I soaked pitted sweet cherries in bourbon overnight and was surprised at how much of the whiskey’s oak notes and sweetness came through in the soaked cherries and the resulting pie. I also kept the sugar quantity low to really emphasize the natural flavors of the bourbon and cherries. But this twist is still close enough to the original to please fans of traditional cherry pie. A great choice for the fourth of July – delicious seasonal cherries and a uniquely American liquor.
