CHEF BOY/R/C – Movie Night

Home Made: Maraschino Cherries. Movie theaters are awful. Who wants to be stuck drinking PepsiCo^TM products when you could be at home, pressing ‘pause’ to grab an adult beverage (and munching the awesome popcorn to your right). A late night flick calls for a classic Manhattan at my house, and a Manhattan calls for…you guessed it.

You are probably familiar with the atomic red glow and disturbing vinyl texture of what many try to pass as maraschino cherries, either on a ‘cute’ sundae or in that kid’s Shirley Temple. Pumped with chemicals and high fructose yuck, I should add that they taste nothing like cherries, and summertime serves up some of the best (July is peak season).

Maraschino is not a cherry itself but in fact a type of liqueur, flavored with Marasca cherries and crushed pits. Originally from Zadar in Croatia, this small, slightly sour variety has been distilled industrially since the 18^th century. Macerating your own cherries is simple, with lovely bi-products.

Toss some of that fresh fruit in a jar and cover with said liqueur, wait a couple days and viola gourmet! Mix it up and soak your cherries in bourbon instead, after you enjoy many well-garnished cocktails you are left with a delicious infused whiskey that can be used for all kinds of wonderful.

As you might imagine the list of variations and techniques goes on, with ‘mixologists’ often crafting a trademark blend. But I wouldn’t stress on whether to blanch the cherries first or whether the Rainier variety is required. The glory of the homemade maraschino is its simplicity, after all.

And in that spirit, I encourage you to review the ingredient list of those aforementioned “cherries”. Besides the petroleum-based FD&C Red #40 used to make that neon hue, there are another 7 (seven) contributors to it’s tasteless result. When something is as simple as two ingredients, and as easy to make, you’ll find yourself running out of excuses. I did.

A Recipe: Maraschino Cherries

Ingredients: 1 pint cherries, and 1 cup maraschino liqueur (I prefer Luxardo Brand, available at local purveyors such as The Rumrunner or Plaza Liquors, both in Midtown).

Directions: Pit and stem the cherries (OXO makes a handy cherry pitter available at Williams-Sonoma in La Encantada). In a small pot, bring liqueur to a simmer. Turn off the heat, add the cherries and let cool. Store mixture in a jar (refrigerated) for at least 2 days before using, and up to several months.

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Game Changer: Bagless Popcorn. In my short ‘career’ as aspiring epicurean I’ve had what some could call revelations. What was once is no more, and things will never be the same. For me, one of these pivotal moments was when I discovered what Mark Bittman calls “Real Popcorn.”

The concept is this: you can make better, healthier popcorn in nearly less time than it takes to microwave that scary future-bag of nuclear convenience. To be fair, with popcorn this lovely you might feel compelled to take an extra moment for the accoutrement. A favorite of mine is below. But good ol’ fashioned salt and butter never disappoints on movie night. Real butter, as opposed to that preserved, butter-flavored oil-stuff in that bag.

Feeling spicy? How about a tablespoon each of butter, olive oil and Sriracha, melted before it’s poured over your hand-crafted snack? Hint: the answer is yes. This popcorn is really just a solid platform, a blank canvas that you can individualize and refine with your toppings of choice.

I always keep a bag of bulk popping corn in the house; it’s a staple. What’s most surprising is how surprising it all was. After I got passed the embarrassment that I had no idea how popcorn was made before the microwave, I was left to wonder why we ever stopped making it this way.

A Recipe: Peppered Parmesan popcorn

Ingredients: 2 tablespoons neutral oil (I prefer grapeseed, but vegetable or corn oil will work), 1/2 cup popping corn, 2 tablespoons truffle oil, 1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan, and a handful of minced fresh parsley.

Directions: Place oil in a stock pot (or deep saucepan) over medium heat, add 3 kernels of corn and cover. When all 3 pop, add remaining corn and shake, holding the lid on, until there is between 1-2 seconds per ‘pop’ (Less than 3 minutes). Transfer to large bowl, add remaining ingredients and toss. Serve immediately.

Colin Wilkinson is CHEF BOY/R/C and learning to cook changed his life. Find recipes and more culinary adventures at chefboyrc.com.