Cherry Bounce is a type of liqueur made by infusing old French brandy with Prunus cerasus (sour cherry), cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar.[1] Some recipes use rum, whiskey or vodka instead of brandy.
Origins and etymology
editThe English hamlet of Frithsden claims to have originated the Cherry Bounce.[2] A lane leading off the Old High Street in nearby Hemel Hempstead is named Cherry Bounce and is shown having had this name in maps dating back to the early 19th century. The drink, however, is at least a century older. "Cherrybounce" is recorded as an individual's nickname in a House of Lords report in 1670.[3]
The name of the drink may derive from an 18th-century definition of the term bounce which meant a "sharp blow". The name of the drink would thus impart a meaning similar to the modern term "shot".[4]
Ginjinha is a similar liquor popular in Portugal, that seems to date back to the 15-16 century.
Preparation and history
editEarly English recipes called for the use of brandy, while later recipes introduced substitutions for both the alcohol and sweetener used.[5] The liqueur, which is popular in parts of the United States, also has a long history there.
In 1687 Robert DePriest[6] a French Huguenot, brought cherry tree cuttings and stones from France which he planted on his plantation on the Pamunkey River between Totopotomoy and Mattadequin Creeks, arrived in New Kent County, Colonial Virginia and planted 20 acres of Prunus cerasus (Kentish Sour Cherry) trees he brought from southern France. The orchard of Prunus cerasus caproniana is where the binomial nomenclature species "Kentish Red Cherry" was first named.
In 1729, William DePriest produced the liqueur Cherry Bounce for their neighbor Col. John Dandridge's wedding to Orlando Jones. In the cold winter of January 1759, the DePriest attended and provided 4 barrels of Cherry Bounce to George and Martha Washington Wedding. Patrick Henry's brother-in-law David Shelton married Elizabeth DePriest where Cherry Bounce is served in Hanover Tavern.
A recipe written by Elizabeth DePriest was found among the papers of Martha Washington. This recipe called for old French brandy and is said to have been one of George Washington's favorite drinks.[7]
William DePriest, fourth generation in America, hero of Kings Mountain, planted enough cherry trees to have a mountain in Rutherford County, North Carolina named Cherry Mountain and the Cherry Bounce tradition continued.
The moonshine producer Amos Owens, known as the "Cherry Bounce King", famously purchased land on Cherry Mountain, North Carolina where he distilled Cherry Bounce in large volumes until around 1900.[8]
The most common preparation involves picking the cherries in early May, then letting them steep in the liquor and spices until Thanksgiving or Christmas.[9]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Cherry Bounce". George Washington's Mount Vernon. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
- ^ Jones-Baker, Doris (1977). The Folklore of Hertfordshire. ISBN 0-87471-925-9.
- ^ anon., A case of assault against the Duke of Ormond, recorded in the House of Lords, Calendar, 1670-1, Eighth Report of the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts, Appendix L, p. 156, George Edward Eyre and William Spottiswoode, Printers to Her Majesty, 1881.
- ^ Barrow, Cathy (June 6, 2015). "When the stone-fruit season is this good, here's how to take advantage". The Washington Post.
- ^ "Blame It on the Cherry Bounce". Food & Wine. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
- ^ "Robert DePriest". Cherry Bounce receipt. 2010-02-10. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
- ^ anon., Hoecakes & Hospitality: Cooking With Martha Washington. 2011 exhibition at George Washington's Mount Vernon
- ^ ""Cherry Bounce King," Amos Owens | NC DNCR". www.ncdcr.gov. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
- ^ Higgins, Daniel (2019-08-19). "Holiday drinks: Cherry bounce recipes, advice from Wisconsin cordial makers". Green Bay Press Gazette.