Cherries

A favorite in ancient Rome!

When choosing cherries, pick out the biggest ones you can find. They should also be hard, dark, and glossy and they should also have fresh, green stems.When choosing cherries, pick out the biggest ones you can find. They should also be hard, dark, and glossy and they should also have fresh, green stems.

Fascinating Fact...

Even cavemen enjoyed cherries - cherry pits have been found in Stone Age caves!

Cherry Salsa

Ingredients

2 cups fresh or frozen sweet cherries, pitted
1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/3 cup finely chopped green peppers
2 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp grated lemon peel
½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp salt
Dash of bottled hot pepper sauce (optional)

Chop the cherries manually or in a food processor. Combine everything and mix it well. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Nutritional Analysis: Calories 124, Protein 0g, Fat 0 G, Of Calories From Fat 2%, Cholesterol 0 Mg, Fiber 5 G, Sodium 168 Mg.

Bing Cherry Jam

4 cups chopped & pitted Bing cherries
1 - 2 ounce package powdered pectin
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup almond liqueur
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
4-1/2 cups sugar

Instructions

Place all of the ingredients except the sugar into a 6-quart kettle. Bring everything to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down.

Immediately add the sugar. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil and continue to cook it for another two minutes.

Skim the mixture.

Next, pour it into hot, sterilized jars. Fill the jars to within about ¼ from the top. Put the covers on and seal the jars.

Boil the jars for about 10 minutes.

This will yield 5 or 6 half-pints.

(Yeah I know, this is kind of fattening but you need to live a little once in a while and if you eat it in moderation it won't kill you.)