To Dry Cherries with Sugar

Stone some fine, sound Kentish or Flemish cherries.

When the cherries are quite ripe, the stones may generally be drawn out with the stalks by pressing the fruit gently at the same time.

If this method fails, extract the stones with a new quill cut round at the end; for very short-stalked, turnip-shaped cherries, remove the stone with a large pin at the stalk end, just opposite the seam, and draw it out at the top, leaving the cherry intact.

Place the cherries in a preserving pan with six ounces of sugar reduced to powder, to each pound of fruit.

Set the pan over a moderate fire and simmer gently for nearly or quite twenty minutes.

Allow the cherries to remain in the syrup until they are a little cooled.

Turn the cherries into a sieve.

While still warm, lay them singly on dishes and dry gradually, as directed for other fruits.