Welcome Summer with Sweet Cherry Treats

Relax apres-beach or boating with a Sweet Cherry Margarita… or two.

Nothing says summer like a big, fresh handful of juicy sweet cherries.  While they are absolutely perfect fresh, they’re also versatile and fun in a number of sweet and savory snacks, mains, sides and, yes, even cocktails.  Once the season hits, I travel almost everywhere with my trusty cherry-pitter because I know, inevitably, my weekend host will ask me to make my signature sweet cherry and hot pepper jelly crostini with goat cheese.  Now that I’ve expanded my repertoire with these sweet cherry margaritas, I may bring an extra pitter as a hostess gift.  I could always use a little help in the kitchen!

Choose your cherries carefully, though… buy cherries that are bright and shiny red/almost black in color.  They should still have the stems still attached and be plump and firm to the touch (no browning around the stems.Pick up a pint (or two) sweet (also called bing) cherries from your local farmers’ market or grocery store (if you must) and, if they make it longer than it takes to pop ‘em in your mouth, try out a couple of these sure to please treats for your upcoming July 4th celebration — or tonight’s happy hour! 

If you don’t have a cherry pitter, do it by hand by making a small slit in the cherry with a paring knife at the stem of the cherry.  Using the tip of the knife or your thumbnail, remove the pit.  Do this over a bowl and DO NOT wear a white shirt! 

Sweet cherry and hot pepper jelly crostini:  Slice a fresh baguette thinly on the diaganol.  Brush with olive oil and toast in the oven at 400° for about 5 minutes.  Set aside and turn oven to broil.  Pit about a 1/2 lb. of sweet cherries and chop.  Mix them together with an 8oz. jar of hot pepper jelly (don’t let it sit, cherries release their juice quckly and will turn the mixture watery!), spread on top of the crostini and top with fresh or aged goat cheese or brie.  Heat under the broiler until cheese starts to melt (about 3 minutes).  Serves 8 - 10 as an appetizer.

I fell in love with the cherry clafoutis (klah-foo-tee) at Paul’s Patisserie in Paris’ Rive Droite.  Cherry Clafoutis is a rustic looking French Country dessert from the Limousin region of France and is a kind of pudding with cherries covered in a pancake-like batter.  Perfect for brunch, it’s a little slice of heaven!  I haven’t been back to Paul’s (or Paris) in a couple of years but every time cherry season comes around, I think about making the trip just for the delicious cake.  I’ve not been able to replicate it’s moist texture but this recipe from Epicurious is not bad: Bing Cherry Clafoutis.

Recipe:  Sweet Cherry Margaritas

Serves:  4

Ingredients

48 fresh bing cherries, pitted  (about 1 lb.)

5 fluid oz. tequilia (I like Sauza)

4 fl. oz. fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)

1 1/2 fl. oz agave syrup* (or to tast)

2 oz. grand marnier or triple sec

4 fresh cherries with stem for garnish

Prepare

Place cherries in a blender and blend on high speed until pureed.  In a cocktail shaker, add tequilia, cherries, agave syrup, grand marnier and lime juice.  Shake well and pour over ice in margarita or rocks glasses.  Garnish with a cherry.

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