"kirsch" news and stories

When a friend in New York sent a picture of his fluffy, pink cherry blossoms in full bloom in his backyard, I was reminded of the beauty of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden blossoms this time of year. The Garden hosts its annual blossom festival May 1st and 2nd.

The Japanese name for cherry-blossom viewing is hanami, and I did find a cocktail named such with three parts sake and one part cherry brandy claiming it can be served over ice or warm. I think I'd rather have a Cherry Blossom.

A few variations on a Cherry Blossom exist with brandy as their common thread. Keep in mind that when a recipe lists cherry brandy, you may not know whether the author intended cherry-flavored brandy liqueur, which is very sweet, or the more expensive real cherry brandy sometimes called kirschwasser, kirsch, or cherry eau de vie, that is not sweet at all.

Read more about Cherry Blossom cocktails after the jump.

What is this thing called kirsch? And what do you do when it pops up in a recipe?