Nancy, are they sour cherries, the pie type? Or are they the big sweet type?

Sour cherries are harder, because they need sugar, although I've made brandied cherries from them. I also made a sour cherry and rosemary focaccia, I think it was a Martha Stewart recipe. I wasn't crazy about it, but the kids liked it. Aunt Ellen used to make "cherry bounce" which is cherries in vodka, and there are a lot of that kind of recipes out there. I've also made a sour cherry salsa which was good on duck, would be good on chicken and pork too.

Sweet cherries? Traverse City Chicken, the sauce is made with sweet cherries. I've made a salad with sweet cherries in place of the strawberries and I eat pounds of them just right off the tree.

Good luck, mine aren't ripe yet, but they are loaded with cherries this year. Last year was the first year I beat the birds, and that's because a bear was busily eating all the cherries he could reach, scaring the birds away!

Annie

jams and jellies, and you can always just juice them in the mr juicer, save the juice and freeze the mash … be creative.. i like the pickled cherry idea. that pineapple cherry cake recipe is out there too ...

I guess jams and jellies for gifts. Just not a sweet fan! Peaches are next! Nancy

In black forest gateau, in a sauce with roast duck, clafoutis....

My tree grew so fast, or, my how time flies. I just needed some shade outside the garden shed....

Birds have been beating me to the fruit every year.

So last year I made some tule sleeves with a simple office type stapler. 4 nice big sleeves over branches with a good amount of fruit....then I went out of town for a month, oh well.

Mine are not super sweet. Just right for fresh eating or cooking. When I do get a decent amount of fruit, either purchased or harvested, I like JuliaChild's Clafoutis. Any desserts I cut way back any added sugars or none at all.

Dutch baby.

I have no idea the variety I put in.

I also use them in salads. Any salad that I would use pears or apples. Good in roasted golden beet salads, arugula, feta, cucumber, watermelon, meaty greens.

Or where I might use tomatoes. They do bleed a bit so adding to the vinaigrette as a prep-ahead and topping a salad to the table...

Nice side salad with tarragon or rosemary with a steak or pork loin.

Extra fruit I freeze.

Hi Nancy,

We enjoy the following dish:

BALSAMIC CHERRY PORK CHOPS

2 Tblsp (plus 2 tsp) olive oil

1/4 cup onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

3 cups cherries, pitted and chpped

1/4 cup chicken stock

3 Tblsp cold butter, cut into cubes

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

4 (6 oz) bone in pork chops

1) Heat 2 Tblsp oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Stir in vinegar, cook for 30 seconds. Add cherries and stock. Cook over high heat until liquid is thick and syrupy, 5 to 7 minutes. Whisk in butter, salt and pepper. Transfer half of glaze to a separate bowl.

2) Coat chops with remaining oil and season with salt and pepper. Brush chops with cherry glaze.

3) Preheat grill to high and oil the grate. Grill chops on both sides to desired doneness.

4) After resting 5 minutes top chops with remaining glaze.

MJ

Mmmm...love the sound of the pork chops!

I don't get nearly as many cherries as you, and mine are small (Evans), but I love making cherry preserves. I also freeze bags of cherries to toss into a winter mixed-fruit cobbler/crisp.

There's a sub shop near here that makes a really good reuben... they put cherries in their sauerkraut!

Freeze for use in smoothies.

I also have made a beef stew with sour cherries...red wine lots of caramelized onions....and I forget what more....and I also forget where the recipe is....

Put them in a bottle of vodka!

Thanks everyone! My freezer is getting full! Now I have some ideas to try! Nancy

I have Rainier Cherries and the critters rarely touch them. Maybe they are waiting for them to turn red.

I was doing gardening in an old town and was working around a tree that was literally 10' across a the base. The first branch was at least 20' up. There was a clattering above and then I realized that it was a cherry tree. I wondered how many nice pieces of furniture that would make.