Recipes
Techniques
Tools
Blog
Contribute
Cherries Are the Bomb
Cherries! Early summer's best drupe is finally in season, and there are just oh so many things to do with them. Grab a bushel or 10 while they're abundant, and tuck into these DIY projects, from jam to sauces to drinks and more.
Cherry Pitters: The Right Tool for the Job
First things first: There's a wide variety of tools to pit cherries, from the Cadillac model to the humblest DIY tricks. Here's a few options.
First things first: There's a wide variety of tools to pit cherries, from the Cadillac model to the humblest DIY tricks. Here's a few options.
Cherry Jam
Jam up those cherries for a sweet spread that tastes of summer all year long. (Image via Shockingly Delicious)
Jam up those cherries for a sweet spread that tastes of summer all year long. (Image via Shockingly Delicious)
Cherry Preserves
Preserve whole or chunked fruit for more texture, perfect for desserts. (Image via Kitchen Apparel)
Preserve whole or chunked fruit for more texture, perfect for desserts. (Image via Kitchen Apparel)
Cherry Pie Filling
Can your own sweet cherries for those holiday pies and treats. (Image via Delectable Musings)
Can your own sweet cherries for those holiday pies and treats. (Image via Delectable Musings)
Cherry Key Lime Marmalade
Sweet cherries, key limes and a touch of verbena. A 'marming we will go! (Image via Local Kitchen)
Sweet cherries, key limes and a touch of verbena. A 'marming we will go! (Image via Local Kitchen)
Cherry Butter
Cook them down to make a thick cherry fruit butter with the added grown up flavors of balsamic vinegar and spicy chiles. (Image via Heart Beet Kitchen)
Cook them down to make a thick cherry fruit butter with the added grown up flavors of balsamic vinegar and spicy chiles. (Image via Heart Beet Kitchen)
Cherry Fruit Leather
Cherries make a great fruit leather. You don't even need a dehydrator if you do it in the oven, but if it's too hot, just put the dehydrator outside. (Image via Garden of Eating)
Cherries make a great fruit leather. You don't even need a dehydrator if you do it in the oven, but if it's too hot, just put the dehydrator outside. (Image via Garden of Eating)
Cherry Chutney
Cherry chutney leverages the sweet-tart flavor of cherries with the zip of spices. (Image via Eating Rules)
Cherry chutney leverages the sweet-tart flavor of cherries with the zip of spices. (Image via Eating Rules)
Cherry Sauce
Cherry sauce is a deliciously sweet-tart topping for desserts, a breakfast yogurt stir-in treat or a glaze on roasted meats. (Image via Yankee Kitchen Ninja)
Cherry sauce is a deliciously sweet-tart topping for desserts, a breakfast yogurt stir-in treat or a glaze on roasted meats. (Image via Yankee Kitchen Ninja)
Cherry Chipotle "Not Ketchup"
Erika Kerekes was tired of making jam and decided to turn a pound of ripe plums into a sort of ketchup. It was like ketchup, but much more complex and interesting. (Image via Eating Rules)
Erika Kerekes was tired of making jam and decided to turn a pound of ripe plums into a sort of ketchup. It was like ketchup, but much more complex and interesting. (Image via Eating Rules)
Pickled Cherries
Spicy and sweet pickled cherries are the natural accompaniment to barbecue or roasted pork. Also, they make intriguing cocktail garnishes. (Image via Kitchen Apparel)
Spicy and sweet pickled cherries are the natural accompaniment to barbecue or roasted pork. Also, they make intriguing cocktail garnishes. (Image via Kitchen Apparel)
Dried Cherries
If you think fresh sour cherries are intense, try them dried! Your taste buds will be dancing with delight! (Image via One Tomato Two Tomato)
If you think fresh sour cherries are intense, try them dried! Your taste buds will be dancing with delight! (Image via One Tomato Two Tomato)
Cherry Scrap Vinegar
Making vinegar is almost as easy as throwing some sugar, some water and (optionally) some fruit scraps into a container and adding a bit of water. There's really not too much more to it than that! (Image via Phickle)
Making vinegar is almost as easy as throwing some sugar, some water and (optionally) some fruit scraps into a container and adding a bit of water. There's really not too much more to it than that! (Image via Phickle)
Cherry Shrub
A drinking vinegar, shrub can be made with fresh cherries, and feel free to add balsamic vinegar, mint or any other flavorings. (Image via Reclaiming Provincial)
A drinking vinegar, shrub can be made with fresh cherries, and feel free to add balsamic vinegar, mint or any other flavorings. (Image via Reclaiming Provincial)
Cherry Syrup
Or go with a sweeter syrup, perfect for sparkling soda and cocktails. (Image via Local Kitchen)
Or go with a sweeter syrup, perfect for sparkling soda and cocktails. (Image via Local Kitchen)
Brandied Cherries
No more day-glow red cherries! Preserve your cherries in booze, be it Maraschino liqueur, brandy or bourbon, for booze-saturated cocktail garnishes. (Image via The View from Great Island)
No more day-glow red cherries! Preserve your cherries in booze, be it Maraschino liqueur, brandy or bourbon, for booze-saturated cocktail garnishes. (Image via The View from Great Island)
Cherry Liqueur
Upside to those brandied cherries: You're left with infused booze to make into a cherry liqueur, a.k.a cherry bounce. (Image via Cooking Channel)
Upside to those brandied cherries: You're left with infused booze to make into a cherry liqueur, a.k.a cherry bounce. (Image via Cooking Channel)
Balsamic-Cherry Vermouth
Courtesy of my friend Michael Cecconi of Two Sisters Bar and Books, a recipe for homemade balsamic-cherry vermouth, plus a cocktail recipe that uses it.
Courtesy of my friend Michael Cecconi of Two Sisters Bar and Books, a recipe for homemade balsamic-cherry vermouth, plus a cocktail recipe that uses it.
Cherry and Sweet Annie Bitters
If you're a cherry fan, whip up this bitters to take your Manhattan to the next level. (Image via Snowflake Kitchen)
If you're a cherry fan, whip up this bitters to take your Manhattan to the next level. (Image via Snowflake Kitchen)
