All the Ways to Eat More Cherries This Summer

Cherries are at their finest smack-dab in the middle of summertime. So if you're doing summer right (in our opinion), you're knee-deep in cherries. 

When you spot them at the market, look for a deep-red hue (unless, of course, you're picking up Rainier cherries, which have a marbled blush color). The stems should be greenish, as well. Make sure that the cherries are firm to the touch and plump. Avoid any cherries with brown stems, soft spots or wrinkles.

Sure, you can just grab a handful and eat them as a snack, or chop them up as a yogurt or granola topping--but cherries can be multitaskers in both sweet and savory applications. Here are some ideas so you can enjoy them all season long.

Ready, galette, go

Cherry pie is a warm-weather classic, but why not mix things up with a more free-form galette? The dough tends to be more forgiving, and there's no crimping necessary. Keep the filling simple with chopped cherries, sugar and lemon zest, or up your galette game by making this sweet-and-savory version that pairs the stone fruit with balsamic vinegar and basil.

Pump up the jam

All you need to make cherry jam à la David Liebovitz are a pound or two of pitted cherries, sugar, lemon juice and a touch of vanilla extract. Cook it all down in your Hybrid Saucepan, let it cool, then spread it on toast, dollop it atop yogurt or ice cream, or up your PB&J game with a shot of tart cherry flavor. Plus, if you jar and store the jam properly, you can enjoy that middle-of-summer flavor for months to come.

Savory, straight ahead

A cherry sauce can be a lovely counterpoint to roast chicken or seared duck breast. Try a simple recipe that combines the fruit with red-wine vinegar and caramelized sugar, as well as ginger and cayenne for depth of flavor. It's also a great accompaniment to grilled pork chops, balancing out the smoky flavor from the grill with a hit of sweetness.

A lotta burrata

Peaches and burrata are a natural summer pairing for a cool, refreshing salad, but why not swap cherries into the mix? Simply slice the stone fruits and drape them atop a good-quality burrata, then drizzle the whole thing with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and scatter a few basil leaves over top. (Sometimes, especially when the produce is this good, dead-simple best.)

Bake it 'til you make it

Try swapping cherries into some of your favorite baked goods. Got a killer blueberry muffin recipe? Go for cherry muffins instead. Bake them into a buttery crisp. Cherry scones? Heck yeah. Fresh cherries even add a pop of sweetness and texture to cakes, like Black Forest and vanilla pound cakes. They'd even be delicious in this Lemon Almond Cake that's baked right in your 8" Hybrid Pan.

Say cheese

Get a little more creative with your cheese and charcuterie plates: Skip the grapes and pile a handful of cherries on your Walnut Cutting Board with your favorite meats and cheeses the next time you're having friends over. We're also fans of serving cheese with a sweet cherry compote. Whether you're a fan of Brie, goat cheese, funky blue cheese or anything in between, you'll fall in love with the sweet-savory pairing.

The pits aren't the pits

If you're planning to cook and bake with cherries this summer, you're going to have a lot of pits on your hand. Don't immediately toss them out, because they possess a lot of flavor. You can steep them in cream and then make whipped cream to top some of your cherry desserts, or you can even make them into a cherry syrup that can be drizzled over pancakes or into cocktails.

One thing's for sure: All these ideas are cherry delicious.