Taste of the Season:  Cherries

by MARCELINA BLEA

California is known for its Bing cherries, with a deep mahogany red color and a rich, full bodied flavor larger than its mini heart shape.

Cherries have a short growing season, with peak season during May and June. Memorial Day weekend is classic cherry-picking time, with some families making the outing a tradition. San Joaquin County is a prime location for cherry growing, with an abundance of sunshine and sweeping cool breezes. Local orchards spread out in the county from Stockton to Lodi.

U-pick farms are often spotted by their cherry stands. Take along a few cherry recipes to judge how much to pick. The fruit goes well on top of ice cream, splashed into a drink, or great in a pie. Cherries are also known to be a pain reliever, popular among runners.

The highly anticipated growing season may be short but cherries can be enjoyed year-round in canned and jar forms, such as the bright and round maraschino cherries, a common cherry choice for desserts.

The town of Linden kicks off the season with its annual Linden Cherry Festival, this year held Saturday May 15, complete with a cherry queen, parade, and cherry recipe bake-off. www.lindenchamber.net

Bing Cherry Lemonade

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 lb. fresh bing cherries, washed and pitted (about 2 cups)
1 cup fresh lemon juice
6 cups cold water
Mint sprigs for garnish

Heat sugar and 1 cup water in a small pot until sugar dissolves. Add 1 cup bing cherries, bring to a boil and boil until the cherries begin to soften, about 2-3 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Strain cooled bing cherry syrup into a large pitcher, pressing on the cherries to release their juice. Add lemon juice and cold water. Stir in remaining cherries. Pour over ice and garnish with fresh mint. Makes 2 quarts.

As Easy as “Bing” Cherry Pie

Bottom Crust:
1 (9 inch) refrigerated pie crust
Pie Filling:
5 cups fresh California Bing cherries, pitted
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. tapioca flour
Crumb Topping:
1/2 cup regular rolled oats
1/4 cup white sugar
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. butter, softened
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Step 1: Crust. A wide selection of pre-made pie crusts is available in the refrigerator or frozen section of your local grocery store. Most will come in an oven-safe aluminum pie pan. (Note: It is a good idea to place the pan on a cookie sheet for stability while assembling, and then place in the oven.)

Step 2: Pit cherries. Fresh Bing cherries must be pitted for this recipe. Since you’ll need 5 cups, this step is the most time-consuming. You can find a wide array of devices for removing the pits from cherries online or at your local grocery store. Make sure to wear an apron in case you splatter juice. If you have young children around, they may enjoy helping to pit the cherries. More hands will make the job go much faster, but we recommend taking this activity outside.

Step 3: Filling. Combine the pitted cherries in a bowl with sugar and tapioca flour. Mix well and spoon into the prepared pie crust.

Step 4: Topping. Technically, a pie with a crumb topping is called a crisp. But those who eat this dish won’t care what it’s called. Simply combine the remaining ingredients—oats, sugar, flour, softened butter, cinnamon, and salt—into a small bowl and mix until evenly distributed and crumbly. Sprinkle over the top of the filling. Place in the oven and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 325 degrees and bake for another 30 to 40 minutes until bubbly and browned on top. Allow to cool to room temperature. Top each slice with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Bing Cherry Chocolate Cupcakes
8 oz. butter at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 cup milk
1 1/3 cups pitted cherries, halved

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cream together the butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or an electric mixer 4 to 5 minutes, until fluffy and light. Slowly beat in the eggs. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa. Add this to the egg mixture along with the milk and mix just long enough to blend the ingredients, no more than 20 seconds. Fold in the halved cherries, no more than another 10 seconds. Let rest 10 minutes, then fill greased muffin cups to the brim with the batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove and let cool 10 minutes before unmolding. Makes 1 dozen.