Although many people associate the color red with cherries, the truth is, these delightful summer stone fruits come in a variety of hues, including yellow, pink, purple, and almost black. And then, there's the maraschino cherry, whose color is positively extraterrestrial. For the most part, these neon red orbs originated from Gold, Rainier, or Royal Ann cherry varietals, none of which boast the shocking bright color of maraschinos.
To reach that level of rouge radiance, they've gone through the gamut of food processing. After the cherries are picked, they are brined for anywhere from four to six weeks in a solution of calcium chloride and sulfur dioxide, which preserves the fruit but also bleaches them, leaving them colorless and flavorless. Next up: re-flavor the cherries.
This is done by soaking the cherries in a syrup made with sugar, , and almond oil — this combination is intended to mimic anyway. In order to obtain their signature flavor and color, maraschino cherries are typically left in this second solution for around four weeks. Some companies use natural coloring (in the form of beet or radish juice), but there is a noticeable color and texture difference in the final product; the cherries are duller and softer.
Because of the bleaching process, maraschino cherries can actually be made in any color. You may have even seen bright green and blue ones in your supermarket. The original maraschino cherries were flavored naturally Sure, the maraschino cherries that we g.
