Stone the cherries with a cherry pitter, they should remain whole with only a hole in the middle. Place in a large pot, a lot of foam will form once the sugar and the cherries are cooking, it should not have a chance to boil over.

Add the sugar and stir carefully to mix. Add the star anise, cinnamon, and cloves. Turn on the heat and heat gently, stirring often but carefully, until the sugar dissolves completely.

Once the liquid starts to boil, set the timer to 5 minutes. Simmer stirring every minute or so. Remove the pot from the heat and let cool for another 4-5 minutes. Remove as much of the foam as possible, there will be a lot of it when the sugar starts to boil, but it will be pretty much gone at the end.

Add the Kirsch and some lemon juice to taste. Stir well. Discard the spices. Place the cherries into sterilized jars. Cover completely with the liquid. Clean the rim of the jars with kitchen paper and seal. Let cool completely.

Keep in the refrigerator or in a dark cool place. Let them develop the flavors for about 3-4 weeks before serving.