I grow for personal use and to sell a few extra. My main cherries are the two Suns and Sweet Baby Girl (stocked up on its seed for the future). Variety is added by Black Cherry, Snow White, Coyote, and Mexico Midget. The currents have very few fruit per bract, and have to be cut off, stem and all, to avoid splitting, sometimes I cut the whole bract. MM is probably the best OP cherry I ever tasted, very comparable to Sun Gold. A few tiny MM on top of a basket makes it appealing. Coyote does not add appeal because it looks like a weaked Snow White. May stop it. Although I detest its bad taste, may add a Yellow Pear next year based on discussions in this thread. I found this thread while researching hybrid alternatives to Black Cherry and Snow White. Based on information here, I will try Esterina. However, have any of you tried Black Pearl or Italian Ice? Would you grow one of them instead of the OPs? I hate the long DTM of Black Cherry and Snow White. You lose a month of production at the beginning of the season, then they are absolutely loaded with unripe cherries when frost comes (Ohio-6a). Also considering Orange Zinger. Ball advertises that it produces more "usable" fruit than Sun Gold because it resists cracking. Don't know if adds a new color to a basket. Is it more orange than gold? No reviews available on Internet. When I posted a question about it, one person responded to its taste negatively. Also planning to test Sun Green (by Takita) for taste, possibly to add a green to a basket.

I love the 5 minute a day bread! I can't knead bread any more and this has enabled me to have fresh bread at my finger tips without making them ache. I sort of can't believe how many say it lacks salt, has no flavor, etc. This from people who for any other recipe wouldn't hesitate to tweak it. I add more salt than called for and find it has quite a good taste. I do prefer it after it has been in the fridge for at least four or five days. It lasts for up to two weeks with no problem. I often will make the first loaf after only two days but then I try to wait for several more days before using it again. I've never had a problem with it rising and I keep my heat set at 58 degrees [have to remember the code for the degree symbol]. Sure, it takes longer, but as has been said.. dough rises on it's own schedule. I tend to err a little on the over proofing so usually get quite puffy loaves. I have used my enameled cast iron too with good success but the stone seems to do fine with the water in the oven. I made a mistake when using the enameled and heat the lid too... oops.. it chipped off a hunk of the enamel inside the lid. Oh well. How many times have I heard on here that ... it's bread... flour, yeast, salt, water... it makes itself. Well, this bread is that way too. Add some salt or herbs or whatever. Let it sit longer if you like a stronger flavor. It's wonderful for those of us that can't knead any longer, don't have an expensive machine to do the work, or those who like to be able to grab a hunk out and make rolls or a small fresh loaf. Five day dough wouldn't go for crackers unless I really wanted some of those great looking crackers. Five days is primo dough for me. I'd wait until the two week mark looms. Smiles.

Hi Maggie, here is the recipe. There was also a link to a video somewhere... From Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery that Revolutionizes Home Baking by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois (Thomas Dunne Books, 2007). Copyright 2007 by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois. Serves 4 Note: This recipe must be prepared in advance. 1-1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast (about 1-1/2 packets) 1-1/2 tablespoons kosher salt 6-1/2 cups unbleached flour, plus extra for dusting dough Cornmeal In a large plastic resealable container, mix yeast and salt into 3 cups lukewarm (about 100 degrees) water. Using a large spoon, stir in flour, mixing until mixture is uniformly moist with no dry patches. Do not knead. Dough will be wet and loose enough to conform to shape of plastic container. Cover, but not with an airtight lid. Let dough rise at room temperature, until dough begins to flatten on top or collapse, at least 2 hours and up to 5 hours. (At this point, dough can be refrigerated up to 2 weeks; refrigerated dough is easier to work with than room-temperature dough, so the authors recommend that first-time bakers refrigerate dough overnight or at least 3 hours.) When ready to bake, sprinkle cornmeal on a pizza peel. Place a broiler pan on bottom rack of oven. Place baking stone on middle rack and repeat oven to 450 degrees, preheating baking stone for at least 20 minutes. Sprinkle a little flour on dough and on your hands. Pull dough up and, using a serrated knife, cut off a grapefruit-size piece (about 1 pound). Working for 30 to 60 seconds (and adding flour as needed to prevent dough from sticking to hands; most dusting flour will fall off, it's not intended to be incorporated into dough), turn dough in hands, gently stretching surface of dough, rotating ball a quarter-turn as you go, creating a rounded top and a bunched bottom. Place shaped dough on prepared pizza peel and let rest, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough or refrigerate it in lidded container. (Even one day's storage improves flavor and texture of bread. Dough can also be frozen in 1-pound portions in airtight containers and defrosted overnight in refrigerator prior to baking day.) Dust dough with flour. Using a serrated knife, slash top of dough in three parallel, ¼-inch deep cuts (or in a tic-tac-toe pattern). Slide dough onto preheated baking stone. Pour 1 cup hot tap water into broiler pan and quickly close oven door to trap steam. Bake until crust is well-browned and firm to the touch, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven to a wire rack and cool completely.

Linda, If you want to convert a bread machine recipe to a made by hand recipe, try this: in a bowl - put in the water or other liquid called for add in the yeast, whisk to dissolve, let sit 5-10 minutes to "proof" the yeast and made sure it is viable add any sugar, honey, maple syrup or other sweetener called for in the recipe, stir well add half of the flour called for in recipe, add salt and mix well, stirring with a strong spoon or heavy duty whisk also add in any dry herbs or spices now add in any butter, oil, or other fat called for - if melted butter, make sure it is only just warm, not hot - add in any egg(s) listed in recipe add in rest of flour and any other ingredients, chopped herbs, nuts, dried fruits, cheese, etc. stir well with spoon or mix with your hands until dough is a rather shaggy mass turn out dough onto a clean, floured flat surface and knead for 8-10 minutes adding only small sprinkles of flour if the dough sticks to your hands and the kneading surface [if you forgot those nuts, cheese, or raisins, you can knead them in now] when dough has been kneaded sufficiently it will come together into a nice firm ball (rather than a shaggy mass) and spring back when poked with a finger grease or oil a large bowl (or use the one you mixed in), put dough in, turn it around in the oil to grease the top of the dough and turn it oiled side up in the bowl; cover with a bowl cover (shower cap type), plastic wrap, or wax paper, then cover with a clean kitchen "tea" towel (dampened with hot water if you are making whole wheat bread) and set the dough to rise until doubled in bulk turn out dough, knead 2 minutes, divide into portions according to recipe or not - form loaves and put in greased loaf pans or not - cover again with wrap, and let rise until doubled in bulk preheat oven, bake bread until done, let cool at least a few minutes before cutting - and enjoy!