Cherry prep – real tips from my kitchen

Bing cherries. Rainier cherries. I love them and each summer, the anticipation of buying the first bag (and subsequent bags!) in the grocery store is one of my favorite things. This year is no different, and thanks to the cherry pitter I got on a cherry tour years ago, prepping and eating cherries beyond the “on sale, seasonal” treat is pretty easy and fun. Here are my most practical tips for you on how I do it.  (This content is not sponsored.)

Chelan Fresh Cherry Tour #sponsoredtravel

Chelan Fresh Cherry Tour #sponsoredtravel

1. Watch the sales and stock up. I mean, yowza. Think about how much work goes into growing, caring and harvesting, not to mention shipping them, so they get to us unsquashed. It’s worth it, even not on sale, if you ask me (but I love a good sale and that’s what I watch for too).
2. Wash them. Put some in a bowl in the fridge to eat fresh. I also like to keep a pit bowl in the refrigerator so it’s easy to grab a cherry or two when going in and out of the fridge this time of year. Don’t let the pit and stem be a barrier to eating these amazing treats.
3. Get out your cherry pitter, a board or plate to catch the pits, and a flat bowl or tray that fits in the freezer you have to spread them out a bit to freeze them.
4. Wear dark clothes and remove anything near or around the counter that may get sprayed with juice. Even though I pit the cherry into my hand, somehow juice has a tendency to squirt. Have a damp dish cloth ready to wipe down the wall or counter (and something for the floor, too. Not kidding). This year, I ended up juicing the wall a bit. Luckily, I was ready with my damp dish towel and it didn’t stain. 😉
5. Have the garbage nearby and be sure that the bag or bin has no holes in it. These cherries are super juicy, so avoid a crimson trail to the garbage or compost bin.
6. Store whole or pitted cherries in the fridge to enjoy on their own or in recipes, and freeze the rest for later for a burst of summer sweetness all year round.

Read about composting from the EPA: https://www.epa.gov/recycle/composting-home.