Cherry, cherry baby

LOCAL DISH | SHELLEY HANDLER

A Californian born and bred, I perk up when I see signs of summer coming my way. As a kid in L.A. I could smell it, still and warm, creeping in through the jasmine under my window. In San Francisco, it’s less a weather shift and more what lands on my plate.

And though the season brings a long parade of juicy delights, it’s the appearance of cherries that thrills me the most. On my weekly trip to the farmer’s market, they’re the one thing I have to ration. Whether I make a Saturday stop at the Ramos family’s stand at the Fillmore Farmers Market, or hit the Ft. Mason market on Sunday, it’s a fair bet I’ve eaten half of my haul of Bings before I climb my stairs.

What’s left gets put to good use, and this year they made an appearance at several birthdays, including mine and my student’s. I cannot resist chocolate and cherries, so they played the starring role in a quick sauce over vanilla ice cream in a chocolate cookie cup. That same sauce, which balances tart and sweet, could easily top a pork roast or duck, if you’re feeling fancy. Or your breakfast yogurt or a decadent dessert (did somebody say brownie sundae?).

Don’t sleep on these cherries. Their season is as short as it is sweet.

Honey-Balsamic Cherry Sauce

4 cups (about 1 ¼ lbs) halved, pitted Bing cherries,or other dark-fleshed varieties
1-2 tablespoons mild honey (orange blossom is good)
1-1.5 tablespoons water
2-4 teaspoons  balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon brown sugar

Slice the cherries in half and remove the pits (if you have a cherry pitter, have at ‘em). Place the cherries and remaining ingredients in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir gently to combine. Bring to an active simmer over low-moderate flame, cooking just till juices emerge and cook down slightly. Taste and adjust flavors for a sweet-tart balance (go gently with the balsamic so it does not overwhelm the fruit). Serve warm over ice cream, pancakes, waffles, scones or yogurt.

Shelley Handler, a longtime local who was the first head chef at the legendary Chez Panisse Cafe in Berkeley and an instructor at the California Culinary Academy, now teaches her neighbors, in their own kitchens, to cook better. Contact her through her website.