Helloooo, cherry season! Is anyone else obsessing over these harvest gems lately? I can't seem to stop opening the fridge every five minutes to grab a stem and bite off its refreshing fruit. I guess I am just trying to take advantage of these beauties before we must say goodbye to peak season at the end of this month.
Due to my travels, I could not attend a private cherry preserving class at Domain Whole Foods led by Austin's finest jam and preserves maker, Stephanie McClenny of Confituras. I'm a huge fan of Stephanie's locally sourced batches; I took home her strawberry balsamic preserves at Austin Food & Wine Festival and have been savoring them since with brie and crusty bread.
Both Stephanie's class and Domain Whole Foods' Cherry Fest event are sadly behind us, but let's continue the cherry love in our own kitchens, shall we? Below, you'll see a mint cherry crostini recipe with honey goat cheese, inspired by Stephanie's sweet & tangy pickled rainier cherries. I luckily got my hands on the recipe from her class, so I'll be sure to share it in the near future, too.
Oh, and guess what, Austinites? Domain Whole Foods will begin carrying Confituras products in-store in this fall. If you're elsewhere, I highly suggest ordering online. Happy cooking and happy shopping!
Makes 12 servings
1 large baguette, cut vertically into 1-inch slices 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 bunch mint, sliced into thin ribbons 2 cups assorted rainier and red cherries, pitted and halved 1/4 cup no-pulp orange juice 4 ounces honey goat cheese
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly brush/drizzle olive oil over baguette slices on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden.
2. In a small bowl, mix cherries with mint and orange juice. Spread goat cheese over each crostini and gently top with cherry mixture. Garnish with extra mint, if desired.
*This post is in partnership with Whole Foods Market. Thank you for being supportive of my sponsors!
