Ahhhh, look at all the lovely cherries!
Check out these babies. Do they make your mouth water?
My editor, Kathy Lu, went cherry picking for her birthday on Saturday and lugged home 20 pounds of sweet dark and white cherries. She was kind enough to bring me a half-gallon of the little garnet jewels.
The orchard is called Levering Orchard, and it’s located out near Fancy Gap. Kathy says the cherries were $2.49 per pound. She and her husband pitted and froze most of theirs with plans to make ice cream, cherry sauce or smoothies. Since she’s also a talented baker, they may show up in a dessert at some point, too.
Unfortunately, while these cherries do make my mouth water, they also make my throat and ears itch like mad. It’s a mystery allergy that I seem to have developed over the past couple of years.
Some call it “Oral Allergy Syndrome.” Here’s an interesting article on the topic that appeared in U.S. News and World Report.
Oddly, I used to be able to eat all kinds of fresh fruit with no problems whatsoever. But just recently, raw fruits with a pit (including cherries, peaches and nectarines) drive me into an itching frenzy. I start clucking like a chicken in an effort to scratch the back of my throat, and I start wishing I had a Q-Tip that I could ram down my ears to relieve the itch. It’s not pleasant, and I’ve heard from lots of friends and acquaintances who say they have a similar reaction to everything from apples to celery.
The only way that I can enjoy these lovely fruits is by cooking them, which seems to rid them of whatever substance causes me to itch. But it seems like such a travesty to cook these beautiful, fresh cherries. They are so naturally sweet and delicious right off the stem.
Does anyone have an idea for how to enjoy these cherries cooked without completely demolishing their natural flavors? I’d also love to hear from anyone who has suffered from a similar allergy.
June 16, 2008 - 11:43 AM
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Those are some great looking cherries. I’m sorry about the allergy. I am like that now with strawberries , my doctor said it’s not uncommon to develop food allergies in adulthood. Bummer for me because I can’t stand walking through the produce section and smelling those sweet strawberries and not being able to eat them. But anyways here is a recipe for you…..
~*~ Cherry Crisp ~*~
Topping
1 cup flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup walnuts ( I use pecan pieces)
1/2 cup cold butter
Pinch of salt
Cherry Filling
2-3 cups pitted sweet cherries
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray an 8×8 inch baking pan with cooking spray.
Mix topping ingredients together.Mix in butter with a fork til topping resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
***Mix filling ingredients together and pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle topping over cherry mixture.
Bake for 40-50 minutes or til topping is golden brown and cherries are bubbling.
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Lindsey———–A cherry cobbler. Vanilla ice cream
I can’t help you out with the allergy or a recipe but I can torment you by saying that the hubby and I finished off a whole bag of cherries in less than 24 hours! They were so good and sweet
!! I wish they weren’t so expensive but sometimes you just have to break down and pay for those fruity treats!
Hubby went to his cousin’s place in Franklin Co this weekend and brought home 12 pounds of the prettiest, sweetest cherries! I froze some, made a cherry crisp, and gave some to Lori for their dining pleasure. Alas, I don’t have a cherry pitter, my nails are just now getting back to normal. So sorry about your allergy! Bummer!
I love cherries especially chocolate covered. However due to my need to loose weight, I was forced to eat the healthy way so I thought…..When I ate the fresh cherries, my inner ear and throat began to itch intensity! I am unsure why this is happening but I need to find other ways of eating healthy without all the side affects.