Out of date cherries in kirsch - would you eat them?

I must have dozed off on the sofa longer than I thought. Has July 2009 been and gone while I've been asleep? ?

If it's July 2008 and they still smell and look ok, try one to see if it tastes ok and, if it does, go for it. They've been preserved in alcohol after all.

Belms self. Yes, indeed is July 08 I should have eaten them by. They taste all right so will prob just eat them. Do you think it is acceptable to serve said out of date items to friends if they come round for dinner and not tell them about the date issue?

I'd warm them and chuck them over vanilla ice cream. And I'd probable keep them indefinitley. They have to put best before dates on everything, even honey.

I'd eat them out the jar. Now. And then feel guilty.

I guess if they taste ok and assuming the jar's been sealed until today and none of your friends are pregnant or infirm.

What about a sort of sundae with chocolate brownie pieces, cherries, custard or icecream, whipped cream & grated chocolate on top?

Or use them to make a cherry sauce for duck breasts.

Thanks all! Some lovely suggestions - I think I will probably do Lady F's warming them up and serving with vanilla ice cream and maybe make something chocolatey as well. No guests pregnant or infirm and in fact one of them has poisoned me before with home-made burgers.

Most tempted to eat them out of the jar a la Mrs Winkle. Jar is so big though that would be a. sick and b. drunk and c. guilty.

I'd make Kirsch cake with them. Mmmmm-mmmmm.

Flowery - could you poss tell me how would I make kirsch cake? My MIL gives me cherries every year (GOK why but I'm not complaining). Was never entirely certain what to do with them. Other than eat out of jar.

No self respectng bacterium is going to grow in 40% ethanol

Kirsch Cake

3/4 lb plain choc
3.5 oz petit beurre biscuits (or other, ameritti work too)
3.5 oz butter
3.5 oz sifted icing sugar
3 tblsp double cream
2 egg yolks
2 stiffly whipped egg whites
2 oz grapes (not peeled) (replace these with cherries)
2 tblsp kirsch (or ameretto etc)
2 tblsp water

Crumble biscuits coarsely. Soften chocolate in small pan over low heat
with water, beat well, beat in butter in flakes, turn into bowl, beat
in egg yolks, stir in sugar, beat in egg whites, then fruit, then
biscuits. Finally beat in cream and kirsch, scrape into 8" diameter
sliding base cake tin thoroughly brushed with oil or unsalted butter
(or just lined). Chill in fridge (will last for 3 days! ha! not in our house.)

Decorate with whipped cream and shavings of plain choc.

(I'm sure the original recipe had cherries not grapes, but my mum has always done it with grapes, and i got the recipe off her. She tried it with peeled grapes once and it didn't set, so stayed as a sort of mousse).

Any recipe that starts with "3/4 lb chocolate" can't be bad

No self respecting woman is going to throw away cherries in kirsch..?

?

It's delicious. It truly is. But generally one for very special occasions only.

Thanks Flowery!