Cherry season is here. Take out your pitter

The time of year that many of us have been waiting for has finally arrived: cherry season. It’s a California brief that is creating a host of excitement in the markets. Last Wednesday, as I strolled through the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market, a friend said the air was different and everyone was energized by all the vibrant new summer produce on the stalls.

The main source of this excitement was all the cherries, falling from giant piles in the shape of a pyramid. You could smell them as you passed and see shoppers quickly grab large handfuls to get their fill before the next customer in line behind them.

I find it so funny how cherries elicit this kind of reaction from people. Obviously, cherries are bite-sized, so they make the perfect fruit snack – like nature’s candy (though you’ll never see me use that phrase seriously). And even though I, too, stand in line and make sure I get punnets of my favorite cherries, when I get them, I only eat them raw.

I love the flavor of cherries even more when cooked, but the task of pitting the amount needed for a pie or cobbler is just too much for me to bear. Some people are brave enough to pit cherries, but my patience is only for things like washing tons of salad greens or stirring a jar of jam for an hour (we all have our escapes, yeah?).

So instead of using my precious hard-earned cherries for cooking, I turn to frozen and canned cherries instead. Now, before you write to me and ask for my head on a platter, I’ve written a longer explanation, which I hope you’ll read and also have my Whiskey Sour Cherry Cobbler include with this explainer. A healthy shot of whiskey, lots of lemon zest and a few cherry bitters help brighten up the sour cherries in a hot, bubbling cobbler topped with frozen pie crust shards that bake crispier and butterier than cookie dough. which most people are used to.

But whether you have leftover frozen or canned cherries or were lucky enough to squeeze pounds out of them and not develop eye twitches, here are some extra cherry recipes to satiate your craving.

My Cherry Almond Upside-Down Cake couldn’t be easier to make. All you need to do is sauté a few cherries to concentrate their flavor, then top them with a simple marzipan cake batter, which only enhances that addictive cherry flavor.

Cherry clafoutis is a classic French dessert that I often eat for breakfast, as the texture reminds me more of an egg pancake than anything (and the best part is that there’s no need to pit cherries if you don’t want them). Staying in breakfast mode are Mini Ricotta Latkes with Sour Cherry Sauce, which are like tiny cheese pancakes topped with a fragrant sauce made from canned sour cherries and their syrup.

And if you’re looking for something edgy, try this Cherry Relish, which combines cherries with red onion, balsamic vinegar and tarragon for a sweet and sour condiment that’s wonderful over pork, roast chicken or a grilled steak.

Cobbler with whiskey and sour cherries

Inspired by a whiskey sour cocktail, which uses a maraschino cherry as a garnish, whiskey, lemon juice and cherry bitters combine to amp up the flavor of cherries in a simple, intoxicating cobbler. Typically made with cookie dough on top, this cobbler is instead covered with strips of frozen pie dough, giving the final dish plenty of crispy, chunky, crunchy bits to contrast with the soft, bubbly, sweet fruit underneath.
Get the recipe.
Cooking time: 1h45, mostly unattended, plus 1h freezing

Cherry Almond Upside-Down Cake

This cake draws its magic from a tube of marzipan, which brings sweetness and almond flavor to boost that of cherries. Its dense texture is balanced by cherries and their juice in every bite.
Get the recipe.
Cooking time: 55 minutes.

(Leslie Grow / For The Time)

Cherry clafoutis

Clafoutis looks fancy but it’s actually one of the easiest desserts to make. It cooks like a huge puffy, golden brown fruity pancake with a wonderful crust and soft creamy middle.
Get the recipe.
Cooking time: 1 hour.

Mini Ricotta Latkes with Sour Cherry Sauce

Small pancakes with ricotta are suitable for both breakfast and dessert. The syrup from a can of sour cherries is a brilliant resource for an instant dessert sauce when reduced and fortified with cherry liqueur.
Get the recipe.
Cooking time: 35 minutes.

Cherry relish

The light anise flavor of tarragon is an unexpected note in this chutney-like relish. Pair it with grilled meat or chicken – or duck, especially, which is wonderful with cherries.
Get the recipe.
Cooking time: 25 minutes.