Hello my Foodie Friends!
With the warm temperatures, we are left wondering about how to meet the hydration requirements (especially for our children) from the food and drinks we consume. Not everything that children like to have in summer is necessarily hydrating, nourishing and immunity-building. To cruise through the summer heat and loss of fluids and essential nutrients, seasonal fruits are a recommendation, especially when taking long trips or hanging out in your flip-flops. Eating summer fruits can be a healthy way to keep your body cool and additionally get all the goodness of nature.
As I think back on my childhood memories and raising my own children, the challenge was to keep as much fruit in the house as a go-to for all of us. One fruit that has always been one of my favorites are cherries. I can remember the sheer joy of seeing my mom bringing a heaping bowl of bright red cherries to the table. We now know that eating cherries as a part of a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables may provide health benefits. Cherries are a good source of vitamin C. Vitamin C is a strong antioxidant. Cherries are also low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Summer is cherry season time, and that means time for cherry pie, cherry crumble, cherry cobbler, cherry preserves, cherry sauce to drizzle over vanilla ice cream; you get the idea. But before you break out your baking dish and turn on your oven, you will need to remove the pits of these sweet ruddy fruits. A good cherry pitter that removes the stone and leaves the fruit intact can be a cook's best friend this time of year.
Use a cherry pitter to help you with taking the pits out. It will make your life easier. At Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place, we carry cherry and olive pitters that can quickly and easily remove pits from cherries and olives without bruising or crushing fruit or wasting fruit. They are perfect for canning, freezing, dehydrating and baking cherries. You can freeze sweet cherries to enjoy in baked goods, smoothies, and sauces throughout the year. Simply rinse the cherries with cool water and remove the stem. Pitting them is your choice. They’ll lose some juice, but they’re easier to pop into a recipe later if they’re frozen sans pit. Once the cherries have been pitted, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and place in the freezer overnight to freeze. After they’re completely frozen, put them in an airtight container or freezer bag to store in the freezer until you’re ready to use them. You won’t even need to thaw them before using them.
Kick back and enjoy those delicious summer fruits that are available. Savor your own bowl full of sweet, juicy cherries—it's a treat you can feel cherrific about! Remember my Foodie Friends: “Life Happens in the Kitchen.”
Take Care, John & Paula
