How to Make Brandied Cherries

Legend has it that George Washington as a boy cut down a cherry tree. When his father saw the tree, he was angry. "George," he said. "Did you do that?" 

"Yes, Father," he said, “I cannot tell a lie." George Washington's father was proud of George for telling the truth.

The cherry is a stone fruit related to the plum. There are three types of cherry – sweet and sour; both used in cooking and preserves; and decorative cherries, grown for their flowers.

Cherry trees flourish in regions with cold climates. The tree can reach about six meters at maturity. Its fruit is borne in clusters on long stalks.

This is a recipe for an easy-to-make cherry preserve: 

Ingredients

·         500g ripe sweet cherries

·         150g caster sugar

·         Liqueur brandy (enough to cover the cherries in a jar)

·         Vanilla pod (Vanilla pods contain the seeds from the vanilla orchid plant.)

·         Cinnamon stick

Preparation

1.       Wash the cherries and dry gently

2.       Place into clean sterilized jar and add the caster sugar, vanilla pod and cinnamon stick.

3.       Seal tightly and leave to steep for 5-6 weeks.

Enjoy neat or over ice cream.

Love

Engela

Brandy and Date pudding

Ingredients

·         250g pitted dates, chopped

·         385 ml water

·         5ml.bicarbonate of soda

·         80g butter

·         180ml. castor sugar

·         2 extra large eggs

·         25ml. selfraising flour

·         45ml. brandy

Ingredients for sauce

·         250ml. brown sugar

·         250ml. cream

·         200g butter

·         5ml. caramel essence

Method

1.       Combine dates and water in a saucepan and boil.

2.       Remove from heat, add bicarbonate soda and alow to stand for 5 minutes.

3.       Cream butter and sugar until light.

4.       Add eggs one at a time, beating well, after every addition.

5.       Mixture should be light and creamy.

6.       Sift flour and fold into creamed butter, alternately with the date mixture and brandy.

7.       Pour into greased pyrex dish (20x30cm) and bake in a preheated oven 180⁰C for 30-35 minutes.

8.       Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a saucepan, stir over low heat without boiling, until sugar has dissolved.

9.       Pour sauce over pudding while stil hot.

Ouma se kombuis

Hot Cabbage salad with Brandy Sauce

Ingredients

·         70 g lean bacon; shredded

·         Small head cabbage

·         3 green apples; coarsely grated

·         2 ml nutmeg

Ingredients for the sauce

§  1 clove garlic; crushed

§  15 ml cider vinegar

§  30 ml brandy

§  15 ml olive oil

§  Ground black pepper to taste

Preparation

1.       Fry the bacon in a saucepan over medium heat until brown and crisp.

2.       Add cabbage and apples; cover and cook for 3-5 minutes until cabbage is cooked but still firm.

3.       Stir in the nutmeg and remove from heat.

4.       Mix all the ingredients for the sauce thoroughly and pour over the cabbage and apple dish and stir slightly.

Serve hot.

Serves 4.

Engela

Home Remedies of Grandmothers