IN SEASON: CHERRIES Dark chocolate

IN SEASON

Three Cheers for Cherry Season

BY SUZANNE LEDBETTER

If you needed another reason to love springtime besides sunshine and blue skies, we have a winner—cherry season! Come May, San Joaquin County orchards are buzzing with more than just bees. Workers toil to harvest one of our region’s most notable crops, and we’re all about it! The sweet, sometimes tart, but always juicy fruit, is one of our favorite things about spring. You can eat them straight from the bag, add them to salads, incorporate them in your desserts, or even garnish your cocktails. Cherries are also a formidable ingredient for pan sauces complementing pork tenderloin, chicken thighs, and even ribs. The only downside to this sweet cherry season is that it’s short, so don’t sleep on your chance to make the most of it!

DARK CHOCOLATE CHERRY BROWNIES

INGREDIENTS

Cooking spray 1 c. oat flour ¼ c. all-purpose flour 2/3 c. unsweetened cocoa ½ tsp. baking powder 1/8 tsp. salt, plus 1/8 tsp. sea salt for garnish 6 tbsp. unsalted butter 1 c. sugar 2 tsp. freshly ground coffee 2 eggs 2 tbsp. half and half 2 tsp. vanilla extract ½ c. dark chocolate chips ½ c. fresh or frozen cherries, chopped DIRECTIONS

Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8 x 8 baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, beat butter, sugar, and coffee with an electric mixer on high until combined. Add eggs one at a time, and beat until incorporated. Add half and half, vanilla, and chocolate chips. Add flour mixture and beat on low until batter is thick. Pour into baking dish and top with cherries. Bake until edges are slightly firm, for 25 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle with additional sea salt. Let cool and serve with vanilla ice cream.

CHERRY, BURRATA, AND TOMATO SALAD

INGREDIENTS

3-4 c. arugula 8 oz. burrata 2 c. fresh cherries 1 c. cherry tomatoes ¼ c. basil, chiffonade 2 tbsp. fresh mint ½ c. slivered almonds, toasted 2 tbsp. olive oil 2 tbsp. Calivirgin Balsamic Vinegar ¼. tsp. sea salt Pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Place arugula in large bowl or on platter. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. In small bowl, toss cherry tomatoes with remaining tablespoon of olive oil and generous sprinkling of sea salt. Scatter burrata over arugula, add fresh cherries, tomatoes, and toasted almonds. Garnish with mint and basil. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

Unmask the Sweetness at the Linden Cherry Festival

MAY 21, 2022, 11 AM—4 PM

*Cherry Parade begins at Front and Market streets at 10 AM Linden Elementary School Grounds, 18100 E. Front Street, Linden LindenChamber.net/CherryFestival After a two-year hiatus because of the pandemic, the Linden-Peters Chamber of Commerce is resurrecting a local favorite, The Linden Cherry Festival. For one day, on May 21st, the community festival celebrates all things cherry. Located at the Linden Elementary School Grounds, the celebration of cherries offers something for everyone in the family. Get your sweat on by registering for their annual 5k walk, enjoy live musical performances, shop dozens of vendors selling local cherry products, or enter the cherry pie bakeoff. You can also line up to watch the cherry parade, stroll through the car show, and let your children enjoy the kids’ activities. But our favorite feature of the Linden Cherry Festival is the Cherry Pie Eating Contest. The gorging will begin at 1:30 PM at the Bake-Off Booth in the big tent and is sure to be pure entertainment. Age categories for entry are 6 and under, 7 to 10, 11 to 14, and 15 and up.