Sour Cherry Sauce

Hey! I’m still alive, yet clearly not making good use of my yearly WordPress payments.

I’m doing the bare minimum here by posting this impossibly simple recipe, but at least it’s something stimulating and not me doomscrolling Twitter for the tenth time today.

So! Let’s talk CHERRIES.

On my Instagram Stories, I recently noted how I had created a Sour Cherry Sauce recipe, but did not have the energy or bubbling desire to post it. I asked – via a poll – if I’d post this soon, never, or 3 months down the road once stone fruit season was over and even the best SEO wouldn’t draw attention to it until June 2023. Most folks chose the latter, which was a relatively decent vote of confidence.

So, WOW, look at me being proactive and posting during peak Stone Fruit Season! Who needs an evergreen post?

Well, the state of the world has me lacking the burning passion to develop recipes, much less cook, much less eat somedays. And with the cost of me buy groceries being virtually tantamount to me ordering out, you know which direction I’ve been choosing. Oy! Still, summer produce has been leaving me inspired, and I love taking Saturday strolls through Fort Tryon Park, past the Cloisters, and up to the Inwood Greenmarket. I love when I used to live just three blocks south of here circa 2014 – 2018, but I’m also happy for any excuse to get my steps in…before saying “Screw it” and taking the A Train two stops home when I’m done.

Cherries, both sweet and sour, are currently shining, juicy, and begging to be consumed. I’ve been frequenting Samascott – an NYC Greenmarket regular – to get mine, $7 a pint being well worth it.

I always buy cherries, nibble at half of the pint, then think, “…and what am I going to do with the rest?” Most times, they meet their destiny inside of the compost bag in my freezer, but I actually felt inspired to try making a basic cherry sauce. As with most fruit sauces I’ve made, I aimed for 3 cups fruit, 1 cup water, and 1 cup fine white sugar; with this, I wanted to maintain some of the tartness so it would not be cloying. First time ended up being the charm for me; I love when recipe testing works in my favor, as…I am lazy. I’m just lazy. Ha!

I love to use this sauce in many ways, such as mixing it into oatmeal or using it to top a piece of cake; in particular, I love to use the syrup – minus the chunks of fruit – when making iced matcha lattes. They are pretty and delicious!

NOTE: If you have a cherry pitter, USE IT. I used to have one, but it finaguled its way to Narnia during the move to my new apartment; I cut eat cherry by hand to pit them all, making it look like a crime scene in my kitchen. Good looks.

Sour Cherry Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 pint sour cherries; sliced cherries should amount to roughly 3 cups
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 dash ground cinnamon (optional)

Directions:

1.) Rinse and dry cherries; remove pits and slice into halves or quarters.

2.) In a medium saucepan, add cherries, water, and sugar. Turn heat to medium and allow to come to a slow boil; turn heat down to low and allow to simmer until thickened. Add cinnamon, if desired.

3.) Once thickened, remove from heat and allow to cool. Add to airtight container to save; this will last in the fridge for up to seven days.