Maple Syrup Old Fashioneds

We enjoyed these with supper last night.  In our area of Wisconsin, if you order an Old Fashioned, more likely than not, they will assume you want it sweet and made with brandy.  This is the "country" way to make them.

        Start with a rock glass  full of ice.




Fill it 1/2 full of Cherry Bounce.  Add 2 splashes of bitters,
1 Tbl. of maple syrup (fresh is yum), and fill the glass with club
soda.  Stir well.

Enjoy.

So, what you ask, is Cherry Bounce?  Another Northeast Wisconsin yummy.  This recipe is from a Green Bay church cookbook (lol!), circa 1950.

Cherry Bounce

2 fifths brandy
2 c. sugar
2 qts. of fresh tart cherries
    ( Keep the pits in, but prick them for extra flavor.)

Combine all the ingredients in a large jar, and cover tightly.   Let stand for at least 2-3 months.  I keep mine down in the basement.  Strain when you're ready to use it.

This will end up tasting like fresh cherries......  We always start when the cherries are ripe, and let it sit until Thanksgiving --- and then enjoy as a holiday treat.

Of course, when there's still Cherry Bounce left over at this time of year, who can resist one made with fresh maple syrup!