Marasca cherry

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Marasca cherry (Prunus cerasus var. marasca) is a type of sour Morello cherry that has flourished in northern Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, though the tree is thought to have originated from Central Asia long ago.

The Marasca cherry is very particular about where it can be grown, thus limiting its availability.

Compared to other cherries, the fruit of the Marasca cherry tree is smaller, and has a bitter taste and a drier pulp. Those last two qualities have combined to make Marasca cherries the ideal cherry from which to make fine cherry liqueur. In fact, true Maraschino liqueur is supposed to be made only from Marasca cherries - and no other. The Marasca cherry was also the original base cherry used to make Maraschino cherries.