Cherries are starting to appear, so it must be spring.Who needs a calendar when you’ve got the farmers’ market? Cherries are also nature’s way of telling us the fleeting season for apricots isn’t far behind—only to be followed shortly thereafter bythe stone fruits of summer. But I’m getting ahead of myself here…and salivating all the while.
Cherry season starts off slowly with the arrival of the Black Tartarian and Burlat; followed by the blushing yellow Royal Anne and Rainier. (Sour cherries, like the Montmorency or Morello are less common, as they are primarily grown outside of California.) Most agree the West’s dark, meaty Bing is the quintessential cherry, with Lamberts, Sweethearts, and Vans coming in as close seconds in popularity.
When plump, sweet-tart Bing cherries debut at the market, there is nothing better than eating them out of hand, one after another. For days.But once I’ve stained my fingers red—and made endless fruit salads and brandied cherries and cherry pie and cherry chutney and cherry clafouti and cherry-studded rice pudding and cherry ice cream—I often explore unpaved territory for unique ways to celebrate their short season. We can afford to be a little cavalier (she said smugly), since cherries grow locally and one needn’t dip into one’s equity line of credit just to binge on a flat. So Cherry Salsa is my latest indulgence.
It’s really not as crazy (or as sacrilegious) as it may sound. Here in California — where fresh fruit abounds and Latin influences prevail — pineapple, peaches, strawberries, and even watermelon have transitioned into mainstream salsas. The time for cherry salsa has come.
Serve this as a condiment alongside pork or poultry; with tortilla chips or a gooey Jack cheese quesadilla; or piled onto crostini slathered with California goat cheese or brie.
Chopped Cherry Salsa (cha cha cha)
- 1 pound farm-fresh Bing or other dark, sweet cherries, pitted and coarsely chopped (about 2 cups)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 green onion, finely chopped or thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh jalapeño chile pepper
- 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon granulated sugar
- Dash of salt
In a bowl, combine the cherries, mint, lime juice, onion, jalapeño, ginger, sugar, and salt. Toss gently to dissolve the sugar. Serve at once, or cover and refrigerate for up to 6 hours. Serve at cool room temperature.
Bing Bling
Cherries, which date back to at least 300 B.C., were named after the Turkish town of Ceracus.
The Bing cherry—across between the Tartarian and Royal Anne—was developed in Oregon in 1875 by Seth Lewalling. Legend has it that because he didn’t have enough money to pay his Chinese cook’s wages, he named the new cherry after him.
Before you balk at the price of organic cherries, please consider that organic crops yield about 25 percent fewer cherries than those grown with conventional farming methods.The price of healthy eating.
When shopping, look for cherries that are shiny, plump, and firm.
A pliable green stem is the sign of a just-picked cherry.Cherries-on-the-stem also tend to last longer.
Refrigerate cherries, unwashed, in an open plastic bag. It’s best to eat them within 5 days of purchase.
To preserve stemmed pitted cherries for baking year ‘round, flash-freeze them on a rimmed baking sheet until solid; then pack into freezer-safe bags or airtight plastic containers. Use frozen, not thawed.
A cherry-pitter is an inexpensive kitchen tool that makes the job a breeze. (It works a bit like a paper punch, forcing the pit out of the cherry.) Lacking one, just remove the pit with the tip of a small, sharp knife.
Cherry juice can stain your hands, so you may want to wear latex gloves — and an apron — while pitting them.
For a casually delicious ending to any meal, rinse perfect ripe cherries and pat them dry. Working one at a time and holding each by the stem, dip the cherries in melted dark or white chocolate and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet; then refrigerate until the chocolate coating is firm. (This is an especially charming presentation for “twins”—2 cherries joined at the stem.) Just be sure to warn your guests these cherry-chocolate bonbons contain pits.) The same effect can be had (with a lot less labor on your part) by serving a big mound of cherries with a warm pot of creamy chocolate fondue.
Eschew those scary iridescent cherries sold in jars, and make your own boozy ones to garnish cocktails or desserts. For each pint jar you’ll need about 1 pound of fresh cherries. Rinse them well and pat dry; pit them or not, as you like. (If you don’t pit them, prick each cherry 2 or 3 times so the liquor will penetrate the fruit.) Pack cherries into a sterilized jar, cover with bourbon, rye, brandy, kirsch, or Maraschino liqueur, and refrigerate. When all the cherries have been eaten, mix the remaining alcohol in cocktails.
Gotta go now. I think it’s time for a Manhattan.
The Danville Certified Farmers’ Market, located at Railroad and Prospect, is open every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. For specific crop information call the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association at 1-800-949-FARM or visit their web site at www.pcfma.com.This market is made possible through the generous support of the Town of Danville. Please show your appreciation by patronizing the many fine shops and restaurants located in downtown Danville. Buy fresh. Buy local. Live well.
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