What do we do in the winter you ask? Well… last weekend we checked out Birmingham’s Cherry Bounce-off. Anybody can bring in cherry bounce or any variation there of. Cherry Bounce? Well, in July, picked, ripe cherries are added to a jar. Most people use quart or even gallon glass jars. Sugar and booze are added… a lot of booze. The favorite around here would be whisky, but brandy, vodka or any kind of liquor can be used. My favorite is the vodka but they all taste good, IMHO. Watch yourself, the cherries themselves are delicious… but deadly. Somebody once said, “you are to sample it… not bathe in it”. Well said.
Here is owner Bradley Birmingham checking out the entries…
and sampling…
The bounce isn’t ready until at least Thanksgiving… Christmas is more like it. There were around 20 entries this year down from about 27 last year. Not all the entries had cherries or were even made with cherries. One variation was made with pineapple… not a winner however. My entry… well, actually Matthew Peterson’s (Casey’s) entry wasn’t a winner either although I loved it. He said it was “whiskey moonshine” . Come to think of it, all the entries were moonshine. Anyone can bring samples and the bounce was flowing freely all night. The contest brings out a big crowd so it made for a fun night. The winner takes home the “trophy”, a wooden toilet seat and is expected to engrave carve their own name before it is brought back to be proudly displayed at Birmingham’s bar/restaurant. We cheeseheads are a classy bunch. The best thing I tried all night were chocolate-dipped, bounce cherries… yum.
We Door Countyites are very cleaver at thinking of wild and crazy stuff to do. This weekend, cherry pit spitting at Lautenbach’s Orchard Country! This is part of their Winter Wine and Cherry Fest. This is in addition to Fish Creek’s Winter Festival which is also this weekend. So much to do… so little time.
