h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This evening we picked the cherries off the tree at the front of our house, using step ladders and a broomstick to hook branches into reach. Most years there aren't many to speak of, mostly sour ones being eaten by birds. This year a bumper crop of sweet dark purple fruits

So now I've got a bucket full of cherries what should I do with them?

Mmmmmmmm cherries.....

There is of course only one course of action when presented with loads of cherries. Cherry pie!

Yum. Lucky you. Eat them fresh. Use them to top cheesecake. Make preserves. Lots of great things to make.

I like to use tart cherries for pies.

H (now hungry for cherry pie)

Don't listen to them and their elaborate schemes! Listen to your heart and pop them into your mouth as a snack.

Jodan, you are spot on. As a child just after the war, I used to complain bitterly at my mother for making all the fruit my aunt gave us into jam The reasons are obvious now, but it gave me a real taste for fresh fruit and we eat tons, especially at this time of year.

Oh, and any that are less than perfect can still be given to the birds - blackbirds love them.


websailor

No, I'm not lurking Pimms, and I am going to add another comment.

You could always make a Cherry Cake - try Carole Hudson's recipe as seen here:

A4182446

Enjoy!!!!

Websailor

Amusing story, but possibly the requires syrup-preserved cherries rather than fresh

What I have done with the crop is make jam and a shortcrust lattice tart . Some uncooked cherries remain.
The jam was initially a disaster as the recipe gave the impression that the fruit wouldn't need stoning, that the pits could be removed easily with a ladle, floating on the surface, during the boiling. This was a lie Also the setting point was slightly overshot and after abandoning attempts to remove the pits from the cooling jam the stuff that was put in the jars set to cherry glue by next morning

Admitting that nothing edible could easily be done with the glue I attempted a rescue, dissolving the glue again in a pan with water and taking out the pits while trying to retain the remaining flesh. The pits were simmered in another pan with a little more water and the syrup resulting added back in to the pitless jam. This took some time but the jam resulting is edible, although not the ideal jelly - it drips gloopily off the spoon. Nevertheless I think it is successful .

The tart, using the hindsight of the jam, used stoned cherries. In the absence of a genuine 'cherry-stoner' tool I stoned the cherries with the pointy end of one of the electric egg-whisks. Tip: wear an apron, or better yet remove your top, to avoid blemishes from the almost inevitable splashes of cherry juice that result from the stoning process

Pimms (don't worry the spots will wash off skin )

Sounds like you need to write a GE on this, Pimms!