Cherry Liqueur - - Cigliegiolo

Crush the cherries and their pits (you'll need a mortar for this, as pits will ruin a blender) and leave the paste, covered in a dark place, for 24 hours. The next day, prepare a syrup by bringing the water to a boil and dissolving the sugar in it. While it's cooling, put the cherry mixture in a fine muslin bag and squeeze the juice into a bowl. Add the juice to the syrup, and when it is cool, add the alcohol. Seal the bottle and put it in a cool dark place for a week. Filter into an elegant bottle, seal, and age it for at least six months before you break it out.