The phone rang. I read the caller ID, noting the name of my long-time friend and former colleague. Since it was June, I answered with trepidation. After the normal greetings, she said it, the words I dreaded hearing. “The cherries are ready.” Once the cherries are ready, you cannot hesitate, because if you do, they’re gone, eaten by birds or left to rot in the grass. You must cancel all other plans and devote your day to picking, sorting, pitting, and freezing cherries—and we usually only pick enough for a few pies.
As I type these words I feel guilty because I’m grateful my friend wants to share, grateful for the bounty of the harvest—all that nature has to offer. But there’s something about cherries, so small, so labor intensive, so boring. Utter tedium! Cherries are nothing like my personal favorite, apples, where you don’t have to drop everything--you can plan a day to pick apples once they are ripe. Nothing like apples where just six equals a pie. Hundreds of cherries (and it feels like thousands) equals a pie. That’s one whole quart, four whole cups, of cherries. Apple season starts the cool, pleasant, 60-degree autumn temperatures. Cherry season starts the long, hot 100-degree summer temperatures. Apple season represents sweater weather and football games and new clothes for school. Cherry season represents embarrassing swimsuit weather and sunburns and sweat.
Did I mention that my husband Steve loves cherries? So it’s for him that I am willing to change my plans, lovingly devote hours of my day, and try to smile. Once the process is over, we have a freezer with a few containers of cherries ready to use. That’s when I can breathe easy. We’re good for a whole year.
Following is my favorite cherry crisp recipe. Easier than a pie and great with vanilla ice cream—perfect for July 4th.
Fresh Cherry Crisp
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
As I type these words I feel guilty because I’m grateful my friend wants to share, grateful for the bounty of the harvest—all that nature has to offer. But there’s something about cherries, so small, so labor intensive, so boring. Utter tedium! Cherries are nothing like my personal favorite, apples, where you don’t have to drop everything--you can plan a day to pick apples once they are ripe. Nothing like apples where just six equals a pie. Hundreds of cherries (and it feels like thousands) equals a pie. That’s one whole quart, four whole cups, of cherries. Apple season starts the cool, pleasant, 60-degree autumn temperatures. Cherry season starts the long, hot 100-degree summer temperatures. Apple season represents sweater weather and football games and new clothes for school. Cherry season represents embarrassing swimsuit weather and sunburns and sweat.
Did I mention that my husband Steve loves cherries? So it’s for him that I am willing to change my plans, lovingly devote hours of my day, and try to smile. Once the process is over, we have a freezer with a few containers of cherries ready to use. That’s when I can breathe easy. We’re good for a whole year.
Following is my favorite cherry crisp recipe. Easier than a pie and great with vanilla ice cream—perfect for July 4th.
Fresh Cherry Crisp
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Mix and place in an 8x8x2-inch glass pan:
2 cups pitted fresh tart red cherries
⅓ cup sugar
1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
⅛ teaspoon almond extract
In a medium-sized bowl, mix topping ingredients
2 cups pitted fresh tart red cherries
⅓ cup sugar
1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
⅛ teaspoon almond extract
In a medium-sized bowl, mix topping ingredients
with pastry blender until it resembles meal:
⅔ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup whole-wheat pastry flour
½ cup 1-minute or rolled oats
⅓ cup butter or margarine
Pour topping over fruit mixture.
⅔ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup whole-wheat pastry flour
½ cup 1-minute or rolled oats
⅓ cup butter or margarine
Pour topping over fruit mixture.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Yield: 6 servings
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