Confiture de griottes

...which, today, sounds so much nicer to me than Sour Cherry Jam.

I have never been much of a cherry/cherry flavor girl.  Occasionally black cherry would give me a zing, in a soda or an ice cream.  Only occasionally.

Me and cherries have come a long way, though.  When we started getting the fruit share as part of our CSA (it's separate, not a farm, but an orchard), I was stunned by the first delivery: Bing cherries.  I had no idea they could be grown in our part of the country.

And, they were incredibly, sublimely, delicious.

The last few years, these cherries became an annual treat (most seasons they came only once).  There would be a race to see who would gobble the most to the finish (Gem and I are especially fond of them).

This year, the stars have aligned and I am finally, finally, using most of our CSA produce and giving away what we don't use...close to zero waste so far, about one month in (I have not managed to eat/feed all of what I prepare...my family, for the most part does not eat what I eat, it's not to their taste).  A happy result of this has been: 2013, my summer of jams.  (Insert huge smile, I love jam!)

In our share this week were pretty, and mysterious, sour cherries.  We've probably gotten them in years past and they've rotted in the back of the fridge, my ADDish addled mind incapable of pulling the strands together to do something with an unfamiliar ingredient.  I don't know, I cannot recollect.  This year, I did some internet research and learned some things.  Like English peas, they do not last long.  You have to pounce and act in order to enjoy their goodness.

Between processing other veg and fruit, hosting common meal and sleep-energy issues, the sour cherries got washed yesterday, but I did not actually play with them till today, three days post-delivery.  Well, there were a few bruised/browned past use, but otherwise, phew, they were fine.  (Another thing I have learned this summer...some/most produce do not do well to be washed before refrigeration...so I was a tad worried that I had washed them yesterday only to stick them back in the fridge.)

I had earmarked the sour cherries for pickling or jam...and went with jam.  Am I ever glad I did.  The kids helped me pit the pound of cherries and I subbed coconut sugar for the sugar.  I aslo added the couple of drops of almond extract.  (My body/brain were buzzing after just a few sample tastes while cooking...I may not consume this jam, it's just too sugar-y for me during this sugar-less time.  Interesting piece about coconut sugar here.)  The process, as outlined by David Lebovitz, invited thought and a slowing down which I enjoyed.  The resulting jam was a vibrant red-purple that I just wanted to dive into and get lost in.

And the flavor and texture?  Robust.  In-your-face.  Tart.  Explosive.

Cherries, I love you.

Peace.