I hope to see a few cherries here on a small tree I planted last year. Its the sour cherry, montmorency type. Almost didn't come out of dormency until mid July, when it finally started to branch out and get more leaves. My dad was partial to bing cherries and right now, they do sell them, but they come from Chili. He decided to stew some in booze. He filled a jar with the bings and poured in some VO whiskey. They are still in my fridge and have remained there for well over 20 years now. No signs of any spoilage, and I would expect them to be quite mellow by now. Bings are nice for fresh eating, but not as well suited for canning or pie making, because they don't hold up as well as sour types.

I've had lots of compliments on this one: TOMATO BISQUE (serves 8) 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter 2 TBL olive oil 1 large onion, thinly sliced 1/2 tsp dried thyme 3/4 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 3 fresh ripe tomatoes 3 TBL tomato paste 1/4 cup flour 3 3/4 cups chicken broth 1 tsp sugar 1 cup heavy cream Chopped fresh dill, if serving cold Heat 1/2 cup of the butter & the oil together in a Dutch oven. Add the onion, thyme, salt & pepper; cook until the onion is wilted. Add the tomatoes & the tomato paste; stir to blend. Simmer 10 minutes. Put the flour in a small bowl. Add 5 TBL broth to the flour; blend well. Stir the flour paste into the tomato mixture. Add the remaining broth & simmer, stirring frequently for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat & cool. Pour the cooled mixture into a blender or processor; blend well. Strain the mixture. Add sugar & cream to the strained mixture & simmer 5 minutes. Add the remaining 1/4 cup butter. Serve hot or cold. If serving cold, sprinkle w/fresh dill.~~Uptown Down South

These are recipe I make when fresh tomatoes are plentiful, as well as other garden produce like zucchini, green onions, bell peppers and cucumbers. I love all these recipes for light, meatless lunches. Add some good cheese and fresh fruit - YUMMMMM! Most of these recipe I only make 1/2 recipes for two of us. -Grainlady ZUCCHINI CAPONATA 1 T. olive oil 1 c. chopped onions 1/2 c. sliced celery 1/4 c. chopped yellow bell pepper 1/4 c. chopped red bell pepper 3 c. cubed zucchini (use small ones, or seed large ones - leave the skin) 2 c. seeded, chopped tomatoes 2 T. chopped fresh basil OR 2 t. dried basil leaves salt and pepper, to taste 2 T. lemon juice 1/2 c. small pitted ripe olives (whole or sliced) Heat oil in heavy 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, celery and peppers. Cook and stir 5-10 minutes or until vegetables are softened, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in remaining ingredients. Refrigerate 8-12 hours or overnight. Serve with pita bread wedges. Makes 4 cups. -------------- TABBOULEH TOMATO SALAD 1/2 c. uncooked bulgur 1 c. boiling water 2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped 1 c. chopped cucumber 3/4 c. chopped fresh Italian parsley 1/2 c. sliced green onions 1/4 c. chopped fresh mint 2 T. fresh lemon juice 2 T. olive or vegetable oil 1/4 t. salt fresh-ground pepper 1. Place bulgur in medium bowl; add boiling water. Let stand 1 hour or until bulgur is tender. Drain well. 2. In large bowl, combine bulgur and all remaining ingredients; mix gently to coat. Serve immeciately, or cover and refrigerate until serving time. 6 (2/3-cup) servings. ---------------------- MACARONI WITH MARINATED TOMATOES 2 c. seeded and chopped tomatoes 2 green onions (with tops), chopped 1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley 2 T. olive or vegetable oil 2 t. chopped fresh or 1/2 t. dried basil leaves 1/2 t. salt 1/8 t. coarsely cracked pepper 1 package (7 ounces) macaroni shells Mix all ingredients except macaroni shells. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours but no longer than 24 hours. Cook macaroni as directed on package; drain. Immediately toss with the tomato mixture. 6 servings ---------------- GARDEN FRESH MACARONI SALAD 4 ounces uncooked macaroni pasta 2-1/2 c. chopped, seeded tomatoes 1 c. finely chopped red onion 1 c. finely chopped cucumber 1/2 c. finely chopped celery 1/2 c. finely chopped red bell pepper 2 T. finely chopped black olives 3 T. cider vinegar (I also like to use Balsamic vinegar.) 1 bay leaf 2 T. minced fresh parsley OR 1 t. dried parsley, crushed 1 T. fresh thume leaves OR 1/2 t. dried thyme leaves, crushed 1 clove garlic, minced 3-4 dashes hot pepper sauce 1/4 t. ground black pepper 1. Cook macaroni according to package directions, omitting salt. Drain and rinse well under cold water until pasta is cool; drain well. 2. Combine pasta and remaining ingredients in medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours for flavors to blend. Remove bay leaf before serving. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Makes 6 (1-cup) servings ------------- TOMATO CUCUMBER SALAD 1 medium tomato, peeled 1 small cucumber, peeled, sliced 2 T. chopped green onions (including tops) 1/3 c. oil 2 T. red wine vinegar 1 T. chopped fresh parsley 1/2 t. garlic salt 1/8 t. pepper Salad greens Sliced black olives, if desired Cut tomatoes into 8 wedges; remove and discard seeds. In small bowl, combine tomatoes, cucumber and onions. Combine oil, vinegar, parsley, garlic salt and pepper in blender container or jar with screw-top lid; blend well. Pour dressing over vegetables. Cover; chill 2 hours or up to 48 hours. Serve tossed with salad greens and garnished with black olives OR serve alone on a lettuce leaf. 4 (1/2-cup) servings

You can use blueberries instead of any other berries (especially cranberries) in just about any recipe - or you can use them instead of raisins/sultanas/currants, too. Muffins, cakes, desserts etc. They are nice on a fruit platter, much like fruit salad, but intended for self-serving. Or just add to a mixed fruit salad, maybe as a garnish. Serve some fresh or stewed with ice cream or cream! They freeze very well. Blueberry Bread and Butter Pudding 12 slices white bread, buttered, crusts removed 400g blueberries 2 cups milk 1/3 cup lemon juice 3 eggs, lightly beaten 3/4 cup castor sugar 3 tablespoons Cointreau 1/2 cup orange marmalade cream or custard to serve Arrange 4 slices of the bread, butter side down in a buttered ovenproof dish. Put half the blueberries on the bread, top with another 4 slices of bread and remaining blueberries. Cut remaining bread slices into 3 strips and arrange over blueberries. Whisk milk, juice, eggs, sugar, 1 tablespoon of the Cointreau, pour over bread and leave at room temperature for 1 hour. Heat marmalade with remaining Cointreau over medium heat until well combined. Brush over top of pudding. Place dish in a baking pan and half filled with water, bake at 180°C for 50 minutes. Serve with the cream or custard. Blueberry Muffins 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 cup milk 1 egg, beaten 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup molasses 1 cup bran 3/4 cup wholemeal flour 3/4 cup plain white flour 1/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon rind 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 1 cup blueberries Stir lemon juice into the milk and leave for 1 minute. Stir in the egg, oil and molasses. In another bowl, mix the flours, sugar, lemon rind, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. Add the mix mixture and blueberries and stir to combine. Spoon into greased muffin tins and bake at 190°C for 20-25 minutes or until firm to touch. Blueberry Pancakes 1 cup wholemeal flour 1 teaspoon baking powder pinch salt pinch bicarbonate of soda 1 tablespoon sugar (optional) 1/2 cup milk or soy milk 1/2 cup blueberries Combine dry ingredients, stir in the milk and blueberries. Add more milk if batter is too thick. Cook in a non-stick frypan until done. Blueberry Salsa 2 cups blueberries 1/2 medium red onion, diced small 1 garlic clove, minced (optional) 2 jalapeno chillies, seeded and minced 1 red capsicum pepper, diced 3 tablespoons coriander leaves, chopped 1/4 cup lime juice 1 teaspoon salt Coarsely chop 1/2 cup blueberries. Combine the chopped and whole berries and remaining ingredients. Let stand 1 hour before serving. Blueberry Cordial 2 cups sugar 1/2 cup water 1 cup blueberries juice of 2 limes or 1 lemon 1 teaspoon tartaric acid Boil the sugar and water for 5 minutes, remove from heat, pour in the fruit and juice. Simmer for 5 minutes, strain. Add tartaric acid. Stir well, bottle immediately. Store in the fridge but discard if it fizzes or grows mould. To serve, put a little into a glass, top with water or soda water. Passionfruit pulp may be used instead of blueberries. Blueberry Jam 6 cups (approximately 1.5kg) crushed blueberries 4 1/2 cups sugar Wash blueberries before crushing. In a large saucepan combine blueberries and sugar. Bring to the boil while stirring and continue cooking until mixture sets when tested, about 15-20 minutes. Immediately fill hot jars with the mixture leaving 3mm headspace. Place lids on jars and process for 5 minutes in a water bath. (If desired, 1 tablespoon grated lime rind can be cooked with the mixture.) Blueberry Macadamia Cake 125g unsalted butter 150g castor sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla 250g self raising flour 125ml milk 400g blueberries Topping 125g plain flour 100g brown sugar 125g butter 100g macadamia nuts, chopped Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 23cm square cake tin. Make the topping. Combine flour and brown sugar, rub in the butter until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Set aside. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, beat in the egg and vanilla. Stir in the flour alternately with the milk, starting and ending with flour. Spread the batter in the top, top with blueberries, sprinkle over the topping and macadamia nuts. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a plate and turn again onto a cake rack. Leave until completely cold before cutting. Blueberry Chutney 3 cups blueberries 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup sugar 1/3 cup cider vinegar 3 tablespoons sultnas 2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/8 tespoon cayenne pepper Combine all the ingredients with 1 cup water in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil over medium heat.Reduce heat simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour, or until thick. Cover and chill to use within 1 week, or freeze for up to 6 months. Blueberry Tartlets 2 cups blueberries 2 tablespoons castor sugar 1/3 cup orange juice 1 tablespoon cornflour 1 teaspoon grated orange rind 250g cream cheese, softened to room temperature 24 small baked pastry cases Simmer berries with 1 tablespoon of the sugar and orange juice until plump and juicy. Stir in the cornflour, bring to the boil and stir over low heat until thickened. Cool, cover and refrigerate until required (will keep for up to 1 week). Beat remaining sugar and orange rind into the cream cheese. Spoon into pastry cases, and top with blueberry sauce.