Hi....this isn't about cherries...I took my two children to Puerto Rico for a short trip. When I decided to go gambling and left them in our suite on the tenth floor of our hotel, they decided to drop water balloons off our balcony to see how many people they could hit. So embarrassed when the hotel manager came and dragged me out of the casino!!!
Ha! I just loved that story. Can you IMAGINE being rained on by cherry pits, dio mio...
It brought me back to two memories--
When I was little--maybe 5?--my mom had a very entertaining boyfriend, and I remember we up on the roof, waited for her to come home, and pelted her with water balloons!
When I was just a few years older I had one of those strange life size dolls, and my friend and I would put her in the bow window of my brownstone apartment, put things in the doll's hand and catapult them out the window while we hid. I don't even remember what we threw! Or if we hit anyone!
Good morning, Domenica. Your newsletter is a welcome respite.
I have a different cherry pit story. My family had gone out picking cherries (lots of pick your own fruit along the Lake Erie shoreline). The next day, my parents asked me to can the sweet cherries. So I got out our trusty USDA canning & freezing book. I knew from the canned cherries in the store that I wanted to can them in heavy syrup. So I proceeded to pit & can the cherries. Only to find out when my parents got home from work that you, or at least in their part of MI, don’t pit sweet cherries when you can them. Better color & shape if you don’t. (& I suppose the added almond taste from the pits.) I later learned that some people wrap the jars in paper lunch bags before storing them on the shelf as extra protection for the cherries color.
I did not know cherries should be canned with their pits, or the tip about the paper bags. Thank you. You sound like you were a much nicer kid than I was ;-)
Diavoletti! My childhood pranks are too numerous to count, but RATAFIA! Eagerly awaiting that post. Now what do I do with the little container of Mahleb I bought, because someone told me it’s from cherry pits??
hah! Why am I not surprised to learn you, too, were a prankster?! As for mahleb, yes, it's from the pits of the St. Lucie cherry (how is that for a coincidence?). Just off the top of my head, I wonder if a mahleb-infused syrup would be good for soaking baklava? I may have to give that one a try myself...
The story of pelting pedestrians with cherry pits from a balcony brings back so many memories of childhood mischief, though not quite as funny/scary as yours. The unripe apricots on our backyard tree made great missiles that my brothers and I used liberally. I’m sure my mother, who turned the ripe fruit into jam and pies, was none too pleased.
I’m so glad to have a few delicious-sounding sweet cherry recipes as we don’t have sours out this way. Thanks, Domenica!🍒
What I would give for good apricots! Finally got a halfway decent basket last week at the farmers market but nothing like the ones I used to eat as a kid in Italy. And NO, I did not pelt people with them 😂
The ones in our garden were the best, probably Blenheim, but we didn’t know it at the time. It was just what apricots tasted like then. It’s rare to find apricots with any taste in supermarkets around here anymore. They’re mostly underripe or mealy and not very sweet. If I had some good ones, I wouldn’t dream of throwing them at anyone!
It brings to mind being a small child visiting my grandmother in Center City Philadelphia. She lived on a much higher floor and we were told if we threw a penny off her balcony from that height it could kill someone, lest we get any ideas. I was too scared to ever try it!
Ha! I love to hear stories about Naughty Domenica! The only thing this reminds me of is when we were staying at my grandparents' house and I was sharing a bedroom with my brother Michael. After everyone had gone to bed and the house was dark, we ventured out of the bedroom to where grandma (I assume) hid the candy. One of us, Michael or I, I can't remember, took a huge double handful of candy and we ran back to the room and... that candy flew out of whoever's grip and all around the tiny, crowded (with furniture and objects) room. We freaked! We couldn't turn on the light because it could be seen under the gap under the old door. So we spent the night on our stomachs on the floor in the dark trying to find and gather up every piece of candy so we wouldn't get our heads handed to us on a platter the next day. Oh we did make our baby brother wash his hair with mushed banana when he was still in a high chair when mom went to answer the phone.
Anyway, it's been AGES since I cooked or baked with cherries! I must! I love roasting them with a little rum and sugar but maybe I'll try it with Amaretto! That plumcake looks excellent, too!
Loved this story! Sounds like something my sister and I would do 😅 I can’t wait yo make these recipes - I just got three pounds of cherries - one of the best things about summer!
Hi....this isn't about cherries...I took my two children to Puerto Rico for a short trip. When I decided to go gambling and left them in our suite on the tenth floor of our hotel, they decided to drop water balloons off our balcony to see how many people they could hit. So embarrassed when the hotel manager came and dragged me out of the casino!!!
Omg too funny, Lu! 😂
Ha! I just loved that story. Can you IMAGINE being rained on by cherry pits, dio mio...
It brought me back to two memories--
When I was little--maybe 5?--my mom had a very entertaining boyfriend, and I remember we up on the roof, waited for her to come home, and pelted her with water balloons!
When I was just a few years older I had one of those strange life size dolls, and my friend and I would put her in the bow window of my brownstone apartment, put things in the doll's hand and catapult them out the window while we hid. I don't even remember what we threw! Or if we hit anyone!
Gotta admit, there was a certain satisfaction about it 😬
😂😂😂 just polished off some cherries at lunch and now I think I’m always going to think of your story! 😂
😁🤭
I love this story! (and the cake sounds pretty darn good too!)
thank you! I think of it every time I eat cherries LOL
Good morning, Domenica. Your newsletter is a welcome respite.
I have a different cherry pit story. My family had gone out picking cherries (lots of pick your own fruit along the Lake Erie shoreline). The next day, my parents asked me to can the sweet cherries. So I got out our trusty USDA canning & freezing book. I knew from the canned cherries in the store that I wanted to can them in heavy syrup. So I proceeded to pit & can the cherries. Only to find out when my parents got home from work that you, or at least in their part of MI, don’t pit sweet cherries when you can them. Better color & shape if you don’t. (& I suppose the added almond taste from the pits.) I later learned that some people wrap the jars in paper lunch bags before storing them on the shelf as extra protection for the cherries color.
I did not know cherries should be canned with their pits, or the tip about the paper bags. Thank you. You sound like you were a much nicer kid than I was ;-)
Diavoletti! My childhood pranks are too numerous to count, but RATAFIA! Eagerly awaiting that post. Now what do I do with the little container of Mahleb I bought, because someone told me it’s from cherry pits??
hah! Why am I not surprised to learn you, too, were a prankster?! As for mahleb, yes, it's from the pits of the St. Lucie cherry (how is that for a coincidence?). Just off the top of my head, I wonder if a mahleb-infused syrup would be good for soaking baklava? I may have to give that one a try myself...
What a little stinker--hehe
yep, that was me ;-)
I loved hearing your stories about the cherry pits! I could just picture it raining cherry pits out of no where 😂
Thanks for reading, Lala
The story of pelting pedestrians with cherry pits from a balcony brings back so many memories of childhood mischief, though not quite as funny/scary as yours. The unripe apricots on our backyard tree made great missiles that my brothers and I used liberally. I’m sure my mother, who turned the ripe fruit into jam and pies, was none too pleased.
I’m so glad to have a few delicious-sounding sweet cherry recipes as we don’t have sours out this way. Thanks, Domenica!🍒
What I would give for good apricots! Finally got a halfway decent basket last week at the farmers market but nothing like the ones I used to eat as a kid in Italy. And NO, I did not pelt people with them 😂
The ones in our garden were the best, probably Blenheim, but we didn’t know it at the time. It was just what apricots tasted like then. It’s rare to find apricots with any taste in supermarkets around here anymore. They’re mostly underripe or mealy and not very sweet. If I had some good ones, I wouldn’t dream of throwing them at anyone!
What a riot! ... and such a great childhood memory! I love being conspiratorial with my sisters!!
The good old days 💫❤️
It brings to mind being a small child visiting my grandmother in Center City Philadelphia. She lived on a much higher floor and we were told if we threw a penny off her balcony from that height it could kill someone, lest we get any ideas. I was too scared to ever try it!
Yikes! Thankfully this was just four stories but I imagine it could have gone far worse!
Thank you! I always love the stories!
What fun and special memories.
Great recipes too!!
I got the biggest kick out of your story! 🍒 and thank you for including me, Domenica! It’s my birthday and this is a lovely present! ❤️😊
Happy birthday, dear Jolene! ❤️
Thank you, Domenica! ❤️
Lovely piece, Domenica – and thank you for the shout-out!
My pleasure. Can’t wait to try the shrub. It sounds like the perfect refresher.
It is -- I'm making a second batch today! :)
Ha! I love to hear stories about Naughty Domenica! The only thing this reminds me of is when we were staying at my grandparents' house and I was sharing a bedroom with my brother Michael. After everyone had gone to bed and the house was dark, we ventured out of the bedroom to where grandma (I assume) hid the candy. One of us, Michael or I, I can't remember, took a huge double handful of candy and we ran back to the room and... that candy flew out of whoever's grip and all around the tiny, crowded (with furniture and objects) room. We freaked! We couldn't turn on the light because it could be seen under the gap under the old door. So we spent the night on our stomachs on the floor in the dark trying to find and gather up every piece of candy so we wouldn't get our heads handed to us on a platter the next day. Oh we did make our baby brother wash his hair with mushed banana when he was still in a high chair when mom went to answer the phone.
Anyway, it's been AGES since I cooked or baked with cherries! I must! I love roasting them with a little rum and sugar but maybe I'll try it with Amaretto! That plumcake looks excellent, too!
Hah! the mashed banana hair treatment! 🍌😂
I might try the mashed banana hair treatment 😂
Those dishes of amaretto cherries look suspiciously like those scandalous sweets "Nun's B*****". Is it just me?
Haha I see the resemblance 🤭
Loved this story! Sounds like something my sister and I would do 😅 I can’t wait yo make these recipes - I just got three pounds of cherries - one of the best things about summer!
Excellent! This year’s crop seems to be especially good.