Homemade Maraschino Cherries - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 1/2 lbs pitted red cherries
4 1/2 lbs white sugar
3 cups water
1 lemon, juice of
1 ounce almond extract
1 ounce red food coloring
brine
2 quarts water
2 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon alum

Preparation

Soak pitted cherries overnight in heated brine.
The next morning, drain cherries. Rinse them in cold water. Combine cherries, water, sugar, lemon juice, and red food coloring. Heat to the boiling point.
Let stand about 24 hours. Again, boil juices, pour over cherries and let stand 24 hours. Bring to boil again. Add almond extract and cherries. Pack in hot sterilized jars and seal.
The Ball Blue book says boil this in a water bath-pints-20 minutes, quarts-25 minutes.