Brandied Fruit

About 25 years ago I was given a small jar of brandied fruit starter as a holiday gift.  I kept the starter going for a number of years to use as a topping for cake and ice cream.  But I eventually used it up, let it go away and didn't think about it again for a long time.

The brandied fruit wasn't mentioned again until about a year or two ago when my son remembered a sweet version of fried rice that I had made during his childhood and recalled that brandied fruit was one of the ingredients.  I started a jar of brandied fruit that week.

Brandied Fruit Starter
1  large jar maraschino cherries, drained
1 15 oz. can pineapple chunks, drained
1 16 oz can sliced cling peaches, drained
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup plain brandy

Combine the fruit, sugar and brandy in a large glass jar with a tight sealing cover.

Keep the jar covered and stir the mixture once every two or three days.

Allow the fruit to ferment for 3 or 4 weeks before using.

As the starter is used, replenish it with one cup of fruit and one cup of sugar about once every two weeks.

The juice can be used as part of the liquid in fried rice or as a glaze for chicken.  The fruit can be used as an ingredient in cakes or as a topping for pound cake, angel food cake or ice cream.