Cherry Pit Syrup

Ingredients

• 7 ounces cherry pits
• 3 1/2 ounces plain or toasted sugar
• Pinch of salt, to taste
• 1 drop rose water, or more to taste, optional
• 1 drop almond extract, or more to taste, optional

Directions

1. Put the cherry pits and sugar in a small bowl or pint Mason jar, adding the husk of a juiced lime if you’re using it. Stir or toss everything together until the pits are coated, then seal it well and let it sit for 3 hours or as long as 24 hours. Give the bowl or jar a shake now and then so the pits move around and the sugar has a little help melting down.
2. Once the sugar has fully dissolved, pour the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve to separate it from the pits. If you want to use the pits again, they’ll still have flavor to give to Cherry Pit Whipped Cream.
3. Taste the syrup and season it with a pinch of salt, plus 1 drop or 2 of rose water and/or almond extract if you like. Go slowly here, because those little additions are strong and can shift from lovely to too much fast.
4. Pour the syrup into an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Use it as a sauce for dessert or in place of simple syrup in drinks.