'GINJINHA' - TYPICAL LIQUEUR FROM PORTUGAL - RECIPE

“Ginjinha” is a typical liqueur from Portugal, especially in Lisbon, Óbidos and Alcobaça. It's made of sour cherries, sugar and brandy. 

A wooden fork of the above shape is used to pick ginjas out from the serving flask

The recipe is very simple:

Use mature sour cherries and brandy (not necessarily expensive).

Wash sour cherries to remove any powder, remove the stems and dry the fruit with paper towels to remove the excess of water.

Put the sour cherries in bottles with large bottle-neck, until 1/3 of the volume of the bottle, add sugar until the level of the fruit, a stick of cinnamon, close and shake the bottle slightly to involve the sugar in the fruit and let it stand for 24 hours.

The next day, fill the bottle with spirit, close and shake the bottle daily for at least one week.

Put labels on the bottles and store them in a dark place for at least three months, After that time taste to see if it's sweet enough. If not, add more sugar according to your taste and shake a few more days to dissolve the sugar.

After six months it is ready to drink, but I strongly advise to wait a year to taste the delicious nectar ... But be careful, don't drink too much, "Ginjinha" is a strong drink. 
It's traditionally served in a small glass with a piece of the fruit in the bottom of it. More recently, instead of a glass, a chocolate cup is commonly used.
Important Note:

Never use brown sugar to make “Ginjinha”

Try and enjoy!