Prunus Cerasus

a.k.a. the sour cherry. that elusive bright red gem that briefly graces farmer's markets in mid June. those tart, cheek puckering, flavorful spheres. to me these are the taste of summer. and there is nothing that compares to that unique taste! they are a delicate fruit to grow, and have a limited season (especially here in Virginia). so i start stalking the stands of farmers markets the second week of june waiting for that signature shade of ruby to appear. i usually have to get there just as the markets open, because these sought after mini globes will be gone within a half hour. i admit, i am one of those terrible people who will buy multiple pints and horde these precious jewels so no one else can have them! what i don't use right away? i pit and freeze for later use. so when that oh-so-specfic craving for a sour cherry pie hits in the winter? i don't have to suffer in wait!

pitting so many cherries can be a real pain in the rear, but i promise the gain is worth the labor. "cherry pitters" exist out there. but they are stupid expensive. and they tend to mash the cherries. and as alton brown preaches, the only "uni-tasker" a kitchen should have is a fire extinguisher. so i found that a useful way to pop the stones out of these fruits? is a simple hair pin. you know, like the ones the cartoon witch from the warner brothers leaves behind when she peels off? those. super thin with a bend at the end. just pluck the stem off, and use that bend to wiggle out the pit. it is a time consuming process, especially when you buy multiple pints at a time. so i like to lay mine out on the coffee table in the living room so i can binge watch cheesy chick flicks while i work.

now what to do with all those beauties? so many options! of course the most obvious and classic choice is.....pie!!! for this, it really is best to have a double crust. and it really helps to start the filling out on the stove. if the corn starch in the filling doesn't come to a boil in the oven? it won't set up properly with that beautiful thick texture. and while the taste is amazing, it is a runny mess. i speak from experience. my first attempt was not my best! so i mix the following together in a saucepan and heat over high JUST until it starts to boil. then immediately remove from the heat and cool, 

5 cups sour cherries, pitted

1 cup sugar

3 Tblsp corn starch

2 Tblsp butter

1 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

once sandwiched into it's double crust (decorated anyway you like! the lattice is the classic style, but have fun with it. cut out unique shapes or use mini cookie cutter shapes if you have them!), brush the top with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar. bake at 375 for 40 minutes. make sure to wrap the edge with foil after 20 minutes so it's golden, but not burnt!

while left over pie with coffee is about the best thing in the world for breakfast, i was interested in other options. why not muffins? these are a lemon sour cream muffin recipe with about 2 cups of sour cherries thrown in. the tart lemon is a perfect companion to the cherries!

i have these adorable ramekins that i never use enough. so i made mini cherry crumbles with the little bit of leftover pie filling and crust i had! waste not, want not!

being a fan of individual servings and hand held desserts i tried making little hand pies. this is all a question of personal preference. do you like more filling-to-crust ratio? or crust-to filling? these beauties had more crust (which i like) while the ramekins above had more filling. but both were delicious!

most recipes are for baked goods, but there are a few savory main dish options that can be made. while i was in budapest i was give a recipe for "meggyleves". which is a sour cherry soup seasoned with cinnamon and clove, then thickened with sour cream. it's a summer staple in hungary, usually served chilled. sadly i don't have a picture, but trust me when i tell you this soup is the most amazing shade of pink! it looks a little like a bowl of pepto-bismal, but tastes much better!!

sadly i'm out of this year's stock....but the next time i get my hands on a few pints, i plan to experiment with sour cherry pork tenderloin, sour cherry chicken, sour cherry salsa, sour cherry bread...... so many recipes, so few cherries!