Cherries in Spiced Wine Syrup

Ingredients

• 4  peppercorns black
• 1 stick cinnamon (3-inch)
• 0.5 cup kirsch liqueur 
• 1.5 inch lemon zest fresh
• 1.5 cups red wine red
• 0.5 cup sugar 
• 1  turkish or 
• 1  vanilla pod halved lengthwise
• 0.5 cup water 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• sieve
• cheesecloth

Directions

1. Tie bay leaf, cloves, peppercorns, and zest together in a cheesecloth bag.
2. Combine Zinfandel, kirsch, water, sugar, and cheesecloth bag in a 4-quart heavy saucepan and bring to a boil.
3. Add fresh or frozen cherries with any juices, cinnamon stick, and vanilla bean and simmer, uncovered, until cherries are tender but still hold their shape, 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Drain cherries in a sieve set over a bowl. Return cooking liquid to pan along with vanilla bean, cinnamon stick, and cheesecloth bag and boil until reduced to about 1 1/4 cups, about 12 minutes. Cool liquid slightly and discard vanilla bean, cinnamon stick, and cheesecloth bag.
5. Transfer cherries and cooled liquid to jar and chill, covered, at least 2 hours to allow flavors to develop.
6. ·Cherries can be kept in jar, chilled, up to 1 month.