It is said that April showers bring May flowers, but we know that’s just the beginning of nature’s bounty. Many signs of spring are cropping up at the farmers’ market, but most significant of all is the arrival of cherries.
Cherry season starts off slowly with the Black Tartarian and Burlat; followed by the blushing yellow Royal Anne and Rainier. (Sour cherries, like the Montmorency and 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 the runners-up in popularity.
Few things are sweeter than eating Bing cherries out of hand, one after another. Day after day. But once I’ve stained my fingers red—and made endless fruit salads and brandied cherries and cherry pie and cherry chutney and cherry clafoutis and cherry-studded rice pudding and cherry ice cream—I often explore unpaved territory for unique ways to make the most of their short season. Enter this easily-made condiment to add a taste of spring to any occasion.
Cherry-Apple Relish
1 1/2 teaspoons cider or balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons local honey
2 cups Bing cherries (about 12 ounces), stemmed, pitted and coarsely chopped, juices reserved
1 small Granny Smith or other tart apple, skin-on, cored and cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 cup)
2 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
1 small garlic clove, minced or crushed through a press
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
In a bowl, mix together the vinegar and honey until blended. Add the cherries and their accumulated juices, the apple, green onions, mint, garlic, salt, and a few grindings of pepper. Toss gently to mix well. Taste, adding more salt, pepper, or vinegar if needed. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.
Relish This!
–Serve Cherry-Apple Relish alongside grilled or roasted chicken, duck, pork, tofu—or even a gooey Jack cheese quesadilla. It’s also delish spooned over plain or vanilla yogurt.
–You may want to switch things up by changing the herb in the relish. Instead of mint, try a bit of chopped fresh thyme, rosemary, or parsley.
–Mound Cherry-Apple Relish on top of a wheel of baked or room-temperature brie and drizzle a bit more honey over all.
–For individual appetizers, arrange California endive leaves on a serving platter and place about 1 1/2 teaspoons of soft goat cheese on the cut end of each leaf. Just before serving, spoon a bit of Cherry-Apple Relish over the cheese.
–Include a small bowl of Cherry-Apple Relish on cheese and/or charcuterie boards, surrounded by crackers or crostini.
Cherry Trivia
The Bing cherry was cultivated in Oregon in 1875 by horticulturist Seth Lewelling and named after his longtime Manchurian orchard foreman, Ah Bing.
Before you balk at the price of organic cherries, consider that organic crops yield about 25 percent fewer cherries than those grown with conventional farming methods. Such is 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 and with stems intact, in an open plastic bag. It’s best to eat them within 5 days of purchase.
Cherries weigh in at about 80 calories per cup, with 3 grams of fiber and 1 gram of protein. They are high in anti-oxidants and a good source of vitamin C.
Cherry Arithmetic: 1 pound cherries = about 3 cups pitted cherries
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 or the pointed end of a swivel-bladed vegetable peeler.
Cherry juice can stain your hands, so you may want to wear latex gloves—and an apron—while pitting them. To prevent the juice from splattering you or your kitchen, try pitting them inside of a gallon-size plastic bag.
For a casually delicious ending to any meal, rinse picture-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 and 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 the sterilized jar, cover with bourbon, rye, brandy, kirsch, or Maraschino liqueur, and refrigerate. When all the cherries have been eaten, mix the remaining alcohol into Manhattans or other cocktails.
The Danville Certified Farmers’ Market, located at Railroad & 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.org. This market is made possible through the generous support of the Town of Danville. Please show our appreciation by patronizing the many fine shops and restaurants located in downtown Danville. Buy fresh. Buy local. Live well!
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