Sour Cherries

When we planned our backyard, we decided that we would plant trees that would give us good things to eat. We looked for fruits that were not so common to our northern climate. Horticulturists have come along way with fruit trees that can withstand our brutal winters. We have planted black currants, sour cherries, saskatoon berries, pears, plums and apricots.

This summer is very warm, and even though our trees are still small, they are supplying us with a little fruit. The black currants are going into jam and into a homemade creme de cassis liqueur. The sour cherries have been a real delight. It has been so hot that I did not want to bake a pie in the oven. Instead, I took the cherries outside onto my patio, fired up the barbecue side burner, and made a warm cherry sauce to put over vanilla ice cream. It was glorious. Sweetened with sugar and touched with kirsch, it was this side of heaven. I am planning on the next batch to be preserved in some grappa that should be ready by Christmas. Who needs to move to the Okanagan?