Cerises à l'eau de vie, or cherries in Brandy, have always been a staple in French households. The Distillerie du Périgord has been engaged in the preparation of fruits in brandy for decades and applied their expertise to the creation of the Guinettes.
The Guinettes are cherries of the griotte variety that are calibrated, pitted and half-candied. Then, they are macerated in brandy and flavored with Kirsch. No preservative is added as the alcohol and the sugar insure a long conservation. They are sweeter than regular cherries in alcohol, which makes them more versatile as well.
The possible uses of Guinettes in your cuisine are almost endless: they lend themselves to sophisticated preparations but will also make the simplest dessert very special. Here are a few suggestions:
— in appetizers
— as a cocktail, in Champagne
— on their own, as a dessert
— with cottage cheese
— over ice cream
— over cheese cake
— over crèpes, pancakes or waffles
— in fruits salads
— in cherry pie
— in cakes (Black Forest, etc...)
— to decorate pastries
— in cherries jubilée
— with roasted pork
— with duck, quail or other poultry
— with game (deer, wild boar, pheasant...)
