Dried Sour Cherries (and cherry oxymel)

I got A LOT of sour cherries this year thanks to my generous neighbor, and because I had some big plans: cherry mead, cherry oxymel and dried cherries, cherry bounce, and I made one cherry crisp. The mead did not work, or rather, I jettisoned it because it smelled a little off (I was making in conjunction with my first ever mead, so in retrospect I wonder if it would have been better to start with sugar, but alas). After I composted it, I wondered if it was okay and it was just the lack of sugar that tasted bad. I don't know, but it was definitely different than my previous two fruit wines (made with sugar). I ordered a few new wine implements to check the sugar/alcohol and acid levels, so they will offer better guidance as I continue to make fruit wines.

I was most curious about making dried sour cherries to replace store bought craisins. I experimented with soaking the cherries in a few different ratios of honey/apple cider vinegar to infuse some sweetness, and I dried some straight up. I enjoyed the experimentation, and in each case got cherry syrup, oxymel or juice along with the cherries - win/win! My favorite ratio was the middle sweetness one, though all had their merits. I hadn't realized the difference it would make to use more/less vinegar/honey overall, and the one I used the least of that started to ferment like my wine. It was the largest vessel, and now I am left with an effervescent cherry juice that is fizzy to drink. Yum! It's like cherry juice with kombucha - or really, sour cherry shrub. (It is good plain, and I did try some mixed with gin, which was also delicious, see photo at right of what remains in the half gallon jar!)

Here were my trials that I set out for 2 weeks, except the last one which was just 1 week:

1. Half gallon jar filled with cherries plus 1 c honey and 2 c apple cider vinegar (my favorite one that is also an oxymel that I will use for salad dressing, or I could cook it down for a sweet/sour syrup);
2. Quart jar with 2/3 c honey plus 3 T cider vinegar (sweetest version where the cherries tasted distinctly of honey and the resulting juice was more of a cherry syrup, this was my least favorite);
   
3. Gallon jar filled with as many cherries as I could stuff in with 1 1/2 c honey and 3/4 cup of apple cider vinegar (least sweet and least honey/vinegar to stabilize the cherry juice. It was most active/fermenting and I stopped the process after a week because I feared the fermentation could eat up all the sweet. I have the most of these and they are good, but #1 is better, even though this is the batch that resulted in the very delicious shrub).

*Note if you make any of these, you need to release some pressure from tight fitting jar lids, or to have an air release because of the apple cider vinegar. I did use some gadgets to try to keep the cherries submerged, but the cherries kept popping up. No mold emerged, so I think there was enough sweetness to prevent that.

I think the most magic combo might actually be something I did not do: 1 quart of cherries with 1/2 c honey and 1/2 c cider vinegar. That is less vinegar than version #1, which I don't think is needed with all of the cherry juice, so the oxymel might end up a little more shrub-like (sweeter, less vinegary). Next year!

To dehydrate:

• I set the dehydrator for fruit at 135 degrees. All of my cherries were pitted, though varied in size. I didn't have the time/capacity to sort through and sift out cherries as they finished, but most of the cherries seemed done after about 20 hours. 
• Some cherries got very dry and hard, and some stayed plump, but most were in the middle. The straight up cherries (with no honey or vinegar) were the most tart, and edible to my palate, but no sweetness. I have snacked on them with some nuts and a piece of dark chocolate. :) 
• The plump cherries seem less shelf stable to me, so I put them in the freezer, but they are delicious. If I wasn't going for shelf stable things, I would just make a bunch only midway dried because they are amazing: a bit plump and chewy, sweet with a tiny bit of tang.
  

Sour cherry pancakes (Cherry blintz style)

We are in the time of sour cherries! I think I have harvested about 8 gallons worth, and I might have hit my max. Cherries are soaking in various vinegar/honey oxymel ratios on the counter, they are fermenting for wine, and are in bowls waiting to be pitted, with more pits strewn on the floor, and my compost bucket heaped with more (thank you cherry pitter - what an amazing tool). My prime experimentation right now (besides the wine) is to dehydrate the cherries and make a version of craisins, hence the variety of ratios of honey/apple cider vinegar jars on the counter. I will post my favorite results, but it will be a couple of weeks yet.

My current favorite way to eat the cherries is to mash them up with some heavy cream, shredded coconut, and a splash of maple syrup. It's like ice cream that isn't frozen. And because I had an open package of bacon, I thought I might try that topping on pancakes, except I wanted something a little less rich. So I used yogurt and tahini instead of cream, which was stellar. It made me think of cherry blintzes, though I think those usually mean a more crepe-like pancake. Somehow the tahini-yogurt combo creates that cheese-like quality, and flavor-wise, this hits the blintz mark (at least as I seem to have it in my memory!). 

I had lots of whey from my raw milk yogurt exploits, so I tried an oat soaked pancake recipe that I found very tasty. To be fair, all of this extra sweet in the form of maple syrup or honey is not standard operating procedure for me, so it's like party time over here. I mean, OF COURSE stuff with a little maple syrup or honey is delicious. This is why the sugar industry is big business! Still, it's moderate enough for me, and feels like a seasonal treat that I am willing to indulge.

The pancake recipe is courtesy of Nourishing Days, which is a blog by a couple who lives off grid and favor traditional, fermented foods. It's super simple, and hearty. I followed it closely, except I made only 1/3 of it (I did not add any honey). I did use a little extra whey and water, just to make sure the oats were thoroughly covered. Basically, the soaking is just enough liquid to fill the oats up. The version below serves 3.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/4 cup whey, yogurt, buttermilk, or water with a splash of vinegar
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon honey (optional)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
• coconut oil or butter for cooking

Directions

1. The day before you wish to serve the pancakes for breakfast combine the oats, warm water, and whey in a medium-sized bowl. Mix well, mashing the oats down into the liquid as much as possible. Leave in a warm place for 12-24 hours. (I used a little extra whey and water here.)
   
2. In the morning preheat your skillet over a medium-low heat.
3. Combine the eggs, baking powder, salt, and other flavorings in a small bowl. Pour the egg mixture into the oat mixture and stir to combine. It will be thick, unlike regular pancake batter.
4. Allow your coconut oil or butter to melt in your warm skillet. For each pancake scoop a heaping tablespoon or two of batter into your skillet. Gently spread the batter until 1/16-1/8 inch thick. (It really is quite spreadable, so even though it looks like a small amount, it stretches.)
   
5. Allow to cook until the bottom has set and the edges and top begin to dry out, about 4-5 minutes. Flip and allow to cook another 3 minutes or so.
6. Serve warm with butter, nut butter, jam, honey, or real maple syrup. *For Cherry Blintz version, see below!
   

Cherry Blintz topping (approximate measurements, this is highly dependent on the thickness of your tahini and yogurt):

• 1/2 c cherries
• 1/2 c thin yogurt  (if thick, use half water half yogurt)
  
• 2-3 T tahini 
• 1-2 T maple syrup

Mix the yogurt and tahini first to get a smoother consistency. My yogurt is quite liquid-y (think thin kefir), so it worked to thin out the tahini, and with the cherries and their juice, hit the perfect consistency. You would need to add water if your yogurt is thick. Add the cherries and use a spoon to press/mash them against the side of the bowl to release more liquid. Add maple syrup to taste.

*I also added some black raspberries and a few milkweed flowers just because I'd picked them this morning and they seemed in the right color pallet!

Chia seed pudding

Chia pudding with cherries and coconut flakes

This heat and humidity is feeling a bit stifling, but better with cold chia seed pudding and some of the summer fruit that is currently available, which for me at the moment are sour cherries and black raspberries. I made 2 variations on this recipe so far (cherry-vanilla and chocolate), though the options are endless. The basic recipe is below, and you can modify and add flavors or toppings as you like. It's so easy, and turns out to be nice for a breakfast-y cereal type of thing, or more like a dessert (the chocolate version in particular!). This recipe is mildly sweet to my tastes, so add more if you want something sweeter.

*I don't have a high speed blender, but if you do, you could blend the final product and it will be more like a pudding consistency and less like a chia seed consistency.

Chia Seed Pudding

1/3 c chia seeds

1 can coconut milk

1/3 c. water

1 T maple syrup or honey or sweetener of choice

pinch of salt

1 tsp vanilla

*If you want it chocolate: add 2 1/2 T cocoa powder

*If you want cherry flavor, add 1/4 c cherry juice

Chocolate chia pudding with black raspberries

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, and let sit for at least 30 minutes, at which time give it another stir. I put mine in the fridge overnight, though if I do that without leaving it out first, the coconut oil separates and creates a firm layer on the top that I mix in later.

Serve with your favorite toppings: berries, sour cherries, bananas, chocolate pieces, coconut flakes, cream, whipped cream, nuts, granola, etc.

Keeps in the fridge for 5-7 days, maybe more, but I have not tested that yet!

Bourbon Sour Cherries

The sour cherries are prolific! I will not be able to try these for 6 weeks, but I feel fairly confident that they will be delicious because my friend makes a similar recipe each year and I've had at least a couple of Manhattens with her cherries and a splash of the syrup. The more traditional option for this would be brandy, but I only had bourbon and didn't feel like a trip to the store, so bourbon cherries it is. These will be excellent in some future cocktails, or atop some dessert, if you like that kind of thing.

This recipe makes about 1 quart. I had a little liquid leftover, and more cherries, so I made a mini jar which will be a nice gift somewhere down the line. This recipe came from an online search, though I modified her technique to be more simple and with less dishes!

Bourbon Cherries
1 1/2 pounds of sour cherries, pitted
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup water
juice of one lemon
4 cardamom pods
2 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup bourbon or brandy

1. In a small saucepan, heat sugar, water, lemon juice, spices and bourbon until boiling. Turn off heat and stir so that sugar dissolves. Let cool 10 minutes or so.
2. Fill a quart jar with pitted cherries and pour cooled sugar-bourbon-syrup over the top. Use a small strainer to catch the spices so they do not go into the jar. Cover cherries with enough liquid so they are not exposed to air. Put lid on jar and leave in the fridge for 6 weeks to get the best flavor.
3. After 6 weeks, your cherries and bourbon syrup are ready. They will keep in the fridge for a year.

Sour Cherry Crisp

I have an abundance of sour cherries! Some are from trees in the park, some are from the former northside homestead, and most are from my neighbor, who generously shared her bounty. This is me picking them by the handful!

The most time consuming thing about sour cherries is pitting them. I generally enjoy it, though I've found my fave thing is to sit and watch a Lynx game while pitting. I just use my fingers to push the pit out - be aware that bright red juice sometimes squirts out, covering any nearby surface (it washes off easily). 6 cups of cherries takes me about half of a game (30-45 minutes).

I have made a few different versions of this crisp - and this is my favorite version so far. I am also attempting to make a tart cherry vishniac (Romanian sour cherry brandy) that includes fermenting the cherries in sugar for 2 weeks before adding vodka, which I'll post if it turns out.

Sour Cherry Crisp
6 cups pitted sour cherries
1/2 c. sugar
1-2 T cornstarch (opt)

Topping:
1 1/4 c gluten free oats
stick of butter, softened
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c sliced almonds
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 375. Mix cherries, sugar and cornstarch together. I have made this both with and without cornstarch: I usually pit my cherries a day or two before making the crisp, in which case I can pour off excess juice (which is delicious) and thus have not really needed the cornstarch. I did use it in this most recent batch because I was making it a bit bigger. Pour cherry mixture into large baking dish (9").

Mix topping together, creaming the butter into the oats/sugar/almonds with a wooden spoon until the mixture is very course and crumb-like. Spread the topping evenly over the crisp, and bake at 375 for 50 minutes. The cherries will bubble up through the topping a bit.  Let crisp sit for 15 minutes before eating to allow it to set/cool.

This is delicious warm or cold, served with some kind of dairy/faux dairy product (cream, whipped cream, coconut cream, ice cream...you get the idea), though it is good plain too.