**Cocktail Cherries**

  * 4 c sour cherries, stemmed, whether or not to pit is your choice
  * 1 1/2 c sugar, divided
  * 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
  * 3/4 c water
  * 1 / 4 c bourbon

Mix cherries, 1/2 cup sugar and vanilla bean with seeds in a medium bowl. 

Let macerate 4 hours to really extract all the juices. Discard vanilla bean. 

Strain the sugary juice. In a medium saucepan stir together cherry juice, remaining sugar, water and bourbon. 

Cook over medium-low heat until sugar is completely dissolved. 

Bring to a slow boil, boil for 5-8 minutes, you're trying to make a syrup. 

Add cherries and bring back to bubbling, cook an additional 2-3 minutes until cherries are heated through. 

Using a slotted spoon, ladle cherries into half-pint jars. 

Cherries should be packed tightly but not crammed. 

Cover cherries with syrup leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Process in a boiling water bath.

(Makes about 3 half-pint jars)