Sour Cherry Soup

Sometimes this soup is thickened by boiling spaetzle in the broth.

2 pints sour cherries, pitted
2 cups red wine
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 stick cinnamon
2 whole cloves
2 egg yolks
Rind of 1 lemon, grated

Stew the cherries gently in the wine with the sugar and spices until the cherries are soft. Remove cinnamon and cloves. Puree 1/2 cup of the cherries with 1 cup of the liquid and the egg yolks (beaten with a little of the hot liquid first) and return to the pan. Add the lemon rind and taste for seasoning.

Serve cold or hot.

Serves 4.