Cherries

[TeeDee]

Neighbours hedge is abundant with a couple species of ( overhanging ) Cherries.

Win for them - Win for me.

So , what can I do with them? I was thinking about some possible kirsch concoction and possibly some pickled cherries.

Any other ideas?

 

[Robson Valley]

I have what we call a "cherry bush." Very strong tasting and dark fruit.
I pick and pit them and stew them down as a condiment sauce over meats and pancakes.
Some sugar, but not enough to mask the fruit taste. Jars in the fridge keep well for ages.

Cherries make a superlative red wine. Just be careful not to crack any pits.
In the lees, they are no problem.

 

[Broch]

Cherry brandy for the ladies of course - just don't make the mistake of using 'cheap' brandy.

De-stoned, simmered in sugar solution (if not sweet enough), then dipped in chocolate then left to cool.

As one of a number of 'bits' to dip in chocolate fondue.

Cherry pie.

 

[Broch]

Oh, and don't forget the distilled cherry wine

 

[Robson Valley]

If you don't feel like running a cherry pitter, one at a time, buy a deep fry basket with fine enough mesh to catch all the pits. Stew the cherries whole (poke with a fork/gently mash) then decant into the DF basket. All the juice and pulp goes through, pits go in the garbage. Recook with some sugar and a drop or two of vanilla extract. That adds a nice aromatic note.

 

[santaman2000]

Cherry pie.

 

[SaraR]

cherry compote

 

[Nice65]

Oh, and don't forget the distilled cherry wine

There was a Romanian maker of knives on here called Hellize a while ago. I knew him quite well and he sent me some alcohol he’d distilled from his trees. It was like the finest, highly alcoholic kirsch I’ve ever tasted. It was so strong in alcohol both my wife and I had to sit down immediately after taking a nip. I used a splash on the Christmas pudding and nearly took my eyebrows off, blue flames licked across the table. It was good stuff.

 

[Robson Valley]

Yeah, I remember Hellize. Very distinctive and creative knife designs.
If my memory serves, he was quite an effective story writer as well.

I slathered my cherry goop on a stack of buckwheat pancakes yesterday.
Nice to have watched those cherries all summer.

 

[santaman2000]

cherry compote

^^^^THIS^^^^ over ice cream!

 

[Woody girl]

Cherry jam.
Delicious.
I don't eat bread so jam has to find other uses.
I made a rice pudding and served it with a spoonfull of jam last week. Realy good.

 

[Robson Valley]

Jam makes a really good glaze on roasted meats just out of the oven to rest before cutting.
Dipping sauces for any kind of cooked birds. Plum jam with rabbit.

Not tried to do this myself but have enjoyed it several times.
Once even with croissants for breakfast.

- Box of phyllo pastry.
- Round of Brie or Camembert, whatever size you can afford.
- Jar of apricot jam.
> 2 sheets phyllo, wedge of cheese on that, slather with jam, wrap up and freeze.
>do all the rest of the cheese and freeze.
> Preheat the oven to 400F, bake from frozen until the phyllo browns.

 

[TeeDee]

So this year on the Cherry front I've made some sweet/sour cherries ( White vinegar , good Maple syrup , Splash of Angostura orange bitters ) and some lacto fermented Ones ( Basically Cherries and an obscene amount of brown sugar. )

 

[gibson 175]

cherry beer ( Kriek in Flemish)..in belgium they have a nice one called Liefmans Kriek

 

[Hammock_man]

Huge bowl of cherries, bit of cheese, oat cakes.. fine dining.

 

[Toddy]

I just enjoy them as a seasonal treat Just now I'm going through a wee punnet a day of them. A real pleasure.

I'm not fond of cherries in anything, like yoghurt, booze, as a flavouring, whatever, but I do like them fresh.
The only exception to my dislike is glacé cherries that I use in baking.
Easy enough to make too, and a bright bit of colour in the festive baking.

 

[Jared]

Another vote for compote.

Been on an Eton mess fad recently, compote, store bought meringue nests and whipped spray cream for low effort dessert.

 

[TeeDee]

I just enjoy them as a seasonal treat Just now I'm going through a wee punnet a day of them. A real pleasure.

I'm not fond of cherries in anything, like yoghurt, booze, as a flavouring, whatever, but I do like them fresh.
The only exception to my dislike is glacé cherries that I use in baking.
Easy enough to make too, and a bright bit of colour in the festive baking.

I agree that they are great in their own fresh merit but I'm finding a real joy in taking some basic fresh seasonal ingredients, giving them some sort of tweak and giving them away to friends and families to be enjoyed later in the year.

 

[Toddy]

I agree that they are great in their own fresh merit but I'm finding a real joy in taking some basic fresh seasonal ingredients, giving them some sort of tweak and giving them away to friends and families to be enjoyed later in the year.

Spiced boozy stuff, maybe sweetened a bit, usually does the trick

 

[swyn]

It is a race to who-gets-the-prize first. Us or the birds. Here it looks like a good year for cherries. Walnuts too.
I’m encouraging and capturing suckers too in competition with the browsing deer!