Cherries are in season!

It's cherry season! Cherry vendors have pitched tents all over the place. You can drive by only so many times before you have to stop. It's impossible not to. Because fresh cherries are yum-my. I don't know about you, but our cherries rarely make it to the fridge. They make it all the way to the sink where they get a quick rinse - then that's it. Down the hatch they go. 

There was an article in the San Francisco Chronicle on Sunday with some great tips:

• Look for cherries with the deepest, darkest hues
  
• Store in the refrigerator for up to five days
• You can freeze cherries by simply putting them in a ziplock. Didn't know that.  Excellent!

Jane Tunks, the author of the Chronicle article recommends making a simple sauce for chicken, duck or pork by sauteing cherries in some broth and butter. It sounds really simple and good. Of course,  you have to save some cherries when you get home.

Personally, I'm a sucker for fruit cobblers. So I think that's what I'm going to make. I found a recipe for Sweet Cherry and Apricot Cobbler that sounds delish.  The Mill Valley farmer's market is every Tuesday.  I hope I can find apricots.  I know they'll have cherries.

Recipe: Sweet Cherry and Apricot Cobbler

I've never mastered pitting cherries. So before I make the cobbler I'm making a quick stop at Williams Sonoma for a cherry pitter. I've always wanted one, now I have the perfect excuse. Plus, it also pits olives.  Love it! 

I'll report on how the cobbler turned out later this week. The judging committee (Don and Elli) will be happy to tell me what they think!

Cherry photo from www.nwcherries.com