Maraschino, << `mar` uh SKEE noh or `mar` uh SHEE noh, >> cherry is a preserved cherry. Maraschino cherries are used to decorate and add flavor to desserts and beverages. The cherries received their name because they were originally preserved in maraschino, a liqueur distilled from the fermented juice of the marasca cherry. Today, the cherries are artificially colored, flavored, and preserved. Several varieties of cherries are used. They are picked before they have fully ripened, and are pitted by a machine.
