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Got back just in time for cherry season. My two cherry trees in the back yard, one about 16 years old, and the other about 7 or 8 years old are having a banner season. It seems these trees have bumper crops every other year, and this is the year. The last time I was in Maine at the Photo Workshop, and the birds got all of them.
These are the delightful pie cherries. The variety is "Meteor", a hybrid of the classic French Montmorcey variety, the gold standard. The trees stay fairly compact; short enough that I, at 5'9", can pretty much reach the top when on a talol, scary ladder. I always carry my cell phone in my pocket after the fall from the scaffolding, just in case I decide I need to fall off a ladder or something.
The last 2 days have been occupied with picking and trying to preserve the cherries. I have given prodigious amounts of them away to my neighbors, one will make a cherry pie this weekend, and the other will make cherry jam. I figure that some of the final product will come my way.
I amin a race against time with the birds who know a good thing when they see it. This morning there were 4 Blue Jays in the tree stuffing themselves. I don't mind sharing, and I make it a point to leave blemished fruit on the tree for them. Still, yesterday when I wa sup on the ladder in the top of the tree, there was a Jay on the other side of the tree cursing me the entire time I was picking. I haven't even gotten to the small tree which is perhaps even fuller than the more mature tree. It ripens a little later, so I have a few more days. Grackles are having at that tree.
What to do with all these cherries. There is always freezing them. I have a food saver machine, so I can vacuum pack the frozen fruit. I have not as of yet, done that. Aside from what I am giving away, right now I am dehydrating them. I won a dehydrater in a dog event raffle. Raffles are ubiquitous at dog trials, especially flyball tournaments, They are a revenue raiser for the sponsoring team, and people that attend get a chance to win stuff they can use.
Dehydrating seems to be a good thing because cherries have so much liquid in them anyway. I have been pitting all the cherries I have picked so far, and the act of stoning them gives off a lot of juice, which would be too much for a pie unless one adds a lot of tapioca. It also reduces the bulk of the fruit and concentrates the flavor. It will be so nice to have those cherries and be able to make a nice cherry sauce for a winter meat dish like good roasted pork or beef.
I will also brandy and pickle some. To brandy cherries, one takes decent brandy or kirsch. For each pound of cherries you mix 2 cups of brandy or kirsch with 1/2 c granulated sugar, perhaps a little more if you are using sour cherries as I am. Cherries look and taste better if they are NOT pitted, and have part of the stem still on. The stones have a bit of a bitter almond flavor that enhances the taste. Add cherries to quart canning jars and pour the brandy/sugar mixture over. Cover and sotre in a cool part of the ktichen or cellar for a month, turning the jars daily to make sure the sugar is dissolved. Enjoy and eat.
To Pickle cherries:
2# cherries
1 1/2 C sugar
4 1/4 C white wine vinegar
4 cloves
6 peppercorns
Rinse, dry and pick over cherries, keeping only the unblemished ones.
Prepare 8 1 pint jcanning jars and lids in boiling water according to instructions.
Stir together the sugar, vinegar, cloves, and peppercorns in a non-reactive saucepan, bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes. Pour the hot syrup over the cherries, cover, and seal according to the manufacturer's instructions. Let sit for 2 minths in a cool, dark place before eating. After opening the jars, the cherries will keep refirgerated for i year.
These are fabulous as an hors d'oeuvre with charcuterie.
And lastly, my very favorite. this is a fabulous recipe from Verlet, a tiny pastry shop in Paris. It calls for fresh apricots, but i found that slightly dehydrated cherries word as well. Strictly fresh ones would throw off too much liquid.
VERLET'S APRICOT TART
(TARTE ABRICOT VERLET)
Verlet is a tiny tea and coffee shop that also serves good homemade pastries. Anyone who loves apricots will love this simple, homey pie. Be sure to use fresh, not canned, apricots.
For pastry
8 tablespoons (4 ounces; 12 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon (180 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons finely ground unblanched almonds
For filling
1/2 cup (25 cl) crème fraîche or heavy (whipping) cream
1 large egg lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons full-flavored honey, such as lavender
1 tablespoon superfine flour, such as Wondra
About 1 1/2 pounds (750 g) fresh apricots, pitted and halved (do not peel)
Confectioners' sugar, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch (23cm) fluted tart pan with removable bottom. Set aside.
Make the pastry:
In a large bowl, combine the melted butter and the sugar, and using a wooden spoon, stir to blend. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to form a soft, cookie-like dough. Transfer the dough to the center of the buttered pan. Using the tips of your fingers, evenly press the pastry along the bottom and up the sides of the pan. The pastry will be quite thin.
Place the pan in the center of the oven and bake unitl the dough is slightly puffy and set, 12 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle the ground almonds over the bottom of the crust. (This will prevent the crust from becoming soggy.)
Meanwhile make the filling:
In a medium-size bowl, combine the crème fraîche, egg, extracts and honey and whisk to blend. Whisk in the flour.
Pour the filling evenly over the pastry. Starting just inside the edge of the pan, neatly overlap the halved apricots, cut side up, at an angle. Arrange in two or three concentric circles, working toward the center. Fill in the center with the remaining apricots.
Place the tart pan on a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the center of the oven and bake until the filling is firm and the pastry is a deep golden brown, 55 to 60 minutes. The apricots will shrivel slightly. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Place the tart on a rack to cool. Sprinkle again with confectioners' sugar just before serving.
Serves 8.
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Sensual Ascetic. Three Volvos. Average age 37 years. No damn cupholders. Good wine.
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