I picked up a pint of sour cherries at the market today and stopped in at Astor to buy a bottle of maraschino liquor in order to execute Melissa Clark’s recipe for homemade maraschino cherries.  It was quick and easy, and when the cherries are properly steeped in the fragrant Italian booze, we’re going to have Manhattan Night at the restaurant, hopefully in coincidence with a viewing of the new print of Manhattan at the Film Forum.

With leftovers of the “distinctively funky” maraschino liquor, I’ll be making the “Seventh Heaven” from the always helpful Cocktail Chronicles.

Seventh Heaven

• 1 3/4 ounce gin
• 1/4 ounce fresh grapefruit juice
• 1/2 ounce maraschino liqueur
• fresh mint sprig

Shake with cracked ice and strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a mint leaf.