The Domestic Nest BlogOut of my Cherry Pickin’ Mind
cherry tree
Previous owners have planted many a fruit tree in our yard. Each season, we look to see what’s new and we’re enjoying the sweet surprises. We’ve been wondering what would spring from the pretty tree in the middle of the front yard. Now we know. Cherries!
Cherries are a member of the rose family (genus Prunus) and are a favorite summertime staple. There are two types of cherries, sweet and sour (also known as pie cherries.) This post is about sour cherries.
Sour cherries are usually only available in-season at farmers’ markets or roadside stands. Sour cherries are disease resistant and rarely sprayed with pesticides, so they’re likely an eco choice.
pick 'em
Pick ‘Em: If you happen to pick your own cherries, don’t forget your long sleeves. Leaves on cherry trees can be sharp. Sour cherries grow on a raceme, or a long slender spike and they have no stems. You can pick a cluster by grabbing the base of the spike and pulling, catching the cherries as they fall into your basket.
Pit ‘Em: Purchasing a cherry pitter may be a good option if you’ll be pitting a lot of cherries. I just use a disinfected paper clip. Here’s how…Twist the clip out to make a long skinny ‘S’ shape and use the larger end to scoop out the pit. Do this over the sink or a bowl and beware the splatter, cherries can stain.
paper clip
pit 'em
pack 'em
Pack ‘Em: Once you’ve made a big mess pitting cherries, your storing and cooking options are limitless. I’m experimenting with sugar-packing our surplus cherries. I stir in 3/4 cup sugar per 4 cups of cherries and lay them out on a cookie sheet and freeze. Once frozen, I store them in freezer bags.
Sour cherries are perfect for their traditional use–pie filling. They’re also good for topping ice cream, smothering yogurt, making syrup, and drying.
If life is just a bowl of, well, you know, it may take some time, work, and planning to achieve desired results. But it’s worth the effort. So go ahead, pick ‘em, pit ‘em, pack ‘em. And, baby, laugh at it all.
