Catching Up! Bing Cherry Season!

Wow! So I'm not going to win any "blogger of the year" awards this time around! We all know, though, that life just happens! Not blogging, however, does NOT mean there hasn't been exciting cooking, baking and tasting going on in my life. In the past months I have enjoyed some of the best food I've ever eaten (some of it I actually cooked myself), including Fennel Mashed Potatoes, Goat Cheese Ice Cream, the best brined turkey ever, amazing Squash/Apple soup, 100% from scratch Green Bean Casserole (even fried those onions myself) and much, much more. So, since I wasn't able to get the fabulous Thanksgiving meal I created onto my blog in the Fall, all those great recipes will be forthcoming in time for my readers to plan for this year's big Feast!

Now? Now is the luscious season of berries and cherries! WOW! Did I ever pull off a SLAM DUNK for Father's Day. Now mind you, I usually try to spend the holiday with him and bake him a pie, if possible, as he wants pies over cakes and other desserts any day. This year, we weren't able to be together and I truly was struggling with what to send him. As a corporate meeting & events planner, I often used the great mail order company Red Envelope for last minute corporate gifts. I always enjoyed great customer service, reliability, and guaranteed last minute shipping that didn't break the bank. So, on Thursday before Father's Day when I was still trying to come up with a great option, I clicked on their site and to my surprise found the following (buy one, get one free):
AMAZING! I knew it was just the thing for Dad, and within a few clicks they were on their way to the outskirts of East Texas, guaranteed NEXT DAY delivery through UPS! Hoorah!

The best news is how much he loved them. And who wouldn't love sweet yet tart, juicy red cherries? He simply raved about them during our Father's Day conversation, and my heart swelled. You see, my love language is Gift Giving. (If you aren't familiar with the love languages concept, I highly recommend Gary Chapman's book: The Five Love Languages.) One firm thing I know about myself is the high importance and value I place on finding just the right gift for those important people in my life. For my dad, it's often something I bake for him, but in my absence these cherries did the trick!

So, if you order some up (or are lucky enough to have a great farmer's market nearby), I'm not sure they will make it into a recipe. But here's one from About.com that fits right into summertime grillin' and chillin': an amazing salsa, perfect with chicken or fish or right on your favorite, sturdy tortilla chip!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. dark sweet cherries, pitted and chopped
• 1 Tbsp. lime juice
• 1/4 cup cherry preserves
• 1 Tbsp. minced red onion
• 1 tsp. finely chopped jalapeno pepper
• 1 Tbsp. finely chopped cilantro

Preparation:

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.