Wild Cherry Bark
The inner bark of wild cherry trees, dried and cut into small pieces. It smells faintly of almonds and has been steeped as a tea in American folk tradition for centuries.
What It Is
Wild cherry bark comes from Prunus serotina, the black cherry tree native to eastern North America. The inner bark is dried and cut after harvest. It carries a distinctive bitter almond scent from a compound called prunasin, which breaks down into that characteristic aroma when it meets hot water.
In American folk tradition, it has long been prepared as a tea or used to make old-fashioned syrups. It is one of the original flavoring agents in traditional cough syrups and was once used in the same way a bartender might use bitters, as a background note that makes everything around it taste a little more interesting.
What To Do
Steep about one teaspoon of bark in eight ounces of hot water for ten to fifteen minutes, then strain. The result is earthy and slightly bitter with that almond undertone. A little honey rounds it out nicely. Use it as a base for homemade syrups by simmering the bark in equal parts water and sugar for about twenty minutes, then straining.
Wild cherry bark syrup is a traditional addition to cocktails, sodas, and old-fashioned cherry-flavored candies. Store the dried bark in a sealed container away from light and heat, where it will keep well for at least a year.
