It’s always a special occasion at our home when a jar of homemade pickles is opened. Not that we’re ceremonious about it mind you, but opening a jar of something delicious and unique that’s been stored away in a larder just makes a meal with friends more convivial, adding luster to the whatever else is on the table.
My recipe is based on Helen Witty’s, out of her book, The Fancy Pantry. Picnic lover, Tara Austen Weaver recommended it to me, I recommend it to you. It’s one of my favorite cookbooks to read and plot from.
Pickling cherries wasn’t something I’d have thought of until reading this book. They caught my Francophile interest as they are traditionally served as counter-point with patés and charcuterie, something I’ve also been trying my hand at. I make mine with Lapin cherries, one of the later cherries in Washington and usually firmer than the far more ubiquitous Bings. I’ve never eaten these in France, but the few times I’ve seen them around town, they’re usually small, dry and shriveled, more like a Niçoise olive.
These are plump and juicy and the tarragon adds just a hint of anise and depth to the sweet cherries. You’ll love them.
Click here for the recipe: http://www.knoxgardner.com/2011/french-pickled-cherries/
