Those garish little cherries - the Wayne Newton of trimmings - have desensitized today's drinkers to our favorite liqueur. When people hear the word maraschino, they tend to spout off that outrageous factoid that each cherry has 500 calories. Although we won't debate that, we're determined to show drinkers that maraschino liqueur was the best thing to happen to the cocktail since Cointreau.

Maraschino liqueur is a clear, semi-dry cordial made from cherries grown along the Adriatic coasts of Italy and the former Yugoslavia. The smallest amount adds a flowery nose to many libations.

Only months ago, several brands were available at local retailers. But with the revived popularity of classic cocktails, the stock has run dry. We're currently lobbying importers of this commodity.