Welcome to Cherry Season on Atlanta and Company Today!

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I love June! It’s all about cherries. Whether you like the dark sweet variety or the beautiful Rainier cherries from Washington State, this is your time of the year. Here are a couple of easy and beautiful recipes that can be made with cherries.

We tend to think of cherries as only a sweet ingredient, and I shared a sweet recipe, too – but there are lots of ways to cook up SAVORY cherry recipes using the best of the season. Enjoy!

Very Cherry Vinaigrette

1 Cup Cherries, pitted
1/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 TB Walnut Oil
¼ Raspberry Vinegar
2 TB Lemon Juice
2 TB Chopped Toasted Walnuts
Sea Salt and Black Pepper to Taste

Puree all the ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Cherry Salsa

1 LB Cherries, pitted and chopped
2 TB Lime Juice
Zest of 1 Lime
½ Cup Cherry Preserves
2 TB Minced Red Onion or Radishes
1 Jalapeno, Chopped, Ribs and Seeds removed
2 TB Finely Chopped Cilantro

Combine all ingredients in medium bowl and stir to blend. Cover and chill 1-2 hours to blend flavors. Serve with grilled meat, or with chips as an appetizer.

Kitchen SCOOP:

You can make both of these recipes year round, using frozen cherries
You can always substitute chopped radishes for chopped onion in a recipe.

Cherry Pie Parfaits

Here’s a super easy way to get the taste of best of-the-season cherry pie – without all the work – no pie dough required!

The Crust

¾ Cup Graham Cracker Crumbs
2 TB Brown Sugar
2 TB Melted Butter

The Filling

8 OZ Whipped Soft Cream Cheese, softened
4 OZ Nonfat Plain or Vanilla Greek Yogurt
2- 3 TB Honey
2 TB Orange Juice
1 Tsp Vanilla

The Topping

1 LB Cherries Pitted and Chopped
2 TB Orange Juice or Cherry Liqueur
¼ Cup Toasted Sliced Almonds

Step One

To make the crust, whisk together the cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter and spoon into 4 – 6 small bowls or glasses.

Step Two

Add the cream cheese, yogurt, honey, lemon juice and vanilla to a bowl and whisk together. Add to the bowls or glasses.

Step Three

Mix the cherries and juice or liqueur together. Spoon over the cream cheese mixture and top with sliced almonds!

What to drink with Yummy Summer Cherries?

Sangiovese is the perfect pair for savory cherry dishes

It has a distinctive cherry flavor along with earthy and sometimes “herby” notes
It is the main grape in a familiar wine – Chianti
You can serve it slightly cool and find it in any grocery store