Cherries, Harley, and the Kitchen all Rolled up in One Juicy Pie.

Cherries

  • How are you going to make 25 tons of cherry jam without a kitchen to shake a leg in?

I packed up the car with: The 25 tons of cherries, the cherry-pitter-machine, the heavy pots, jars with lids to match, enough sugar to cover all of France, the ladle, the scale… basically everything that was in our kitchen, yet stuffed in boxes in the living room, and went to Annie's apartment.

  • Shorter answer: I am going to use my friend Annie's kitchen.

                                  Cherries-with-stems


  • Why are you going to make Cherry jam when you do not have a kitchen to stand in?

Our neighbor (who is Annie's age) has a cherry tree. This year nobody was around to pick it. He told me I could pick all of it if I wanted to. I couldn't stand the thought of the cherries rotten on the tree.

  • Shorter answer: I am crazy for cherry jam.

French Kitchen Table Chair

  • How is the kitchen coming along?

It started out with a bang, and I thought it was going to be completed in a blink of an eye or, at least four or five days. Then the sink and faucet were delayed. Then the granite man said he could not put the counter in, until he had the sink and faucet.

Three weeks later we are becoming microwave food experts. (Remember we live in a small town, the only take out food is Pizza and the bakery… and one can only eat so many baguettes, quiches and chocolate eclairs before exploding.)

  • Shorter answer: Slowly.

Tomato-pizza

  • Are you using your wood-burning, pizza oven to cook with?

A wood burning pizza oven is romantic to use in cold weather and not so cool to use by spring. It takes a great deal of wood and too much time to heat up to use everyday. And it is hot as you know what.

  • Hence the simpler answer: No, too hot.


Vintage-motorcycle

  • What about the Harley ride this summer?

The Harley ride will happen, but maybe not this summer.

  • Longer version:With the kitchen delayed, Chelsea going on for her Master's (We need to find her a place to live by mid August), and Sacha not out of school until July… time seems short. Though with us, people who live by the seat of their pants, you never know what will happen.





Comments

25 responses to “Cherries, Harley, and the Kitchen all Rolled up in One Juicy Pie.”

  1. Marie-Noëlle

    Were I with you, you would not need to gather nor to remove all your kitchen equipment …
    All the cherries would be gone overnight (and I would be sick for days…)
    Cherries … Fresh cherries are just DIVINE !

  2. You are hilarious!!

  3. Corey
    –Joie de Vivre –Life is just a bowl of cherries or eating Cherry Jam — Joanny

  4. I love to make jam! And would love to have a tree loaded with cherries next door. I can just imagine the aroma.
    Glad you are living in the moment… Hang in there!

  5. I love how you seize the moment. Making Cherry Jam while not having a kitchen is just so typical of your spirit.
    You pick cherries from a tree no one else wants and go borrow a kitchen.
    No doubt you will not only end up with more Cherry Jam than you know what to do with but you will also have wonderful fun with Annie in the process!

  6. WHAT A GIFT ANNIE IS IN YOUR LIFE AND OURS. THANKS FOR SHARING HER WITH US.
    OH YEAH, AND THE RED IN THOSE CHERRIES!!!
    HEY, HAS ANYONE TOLD YOU YET THAT YOUR PICTURE LOOKS LIKE DIANNE KEATON!
    HUGS FROM MAINE

  7. I am so envious! The birds plucked every last cherry off my tree this year. Last year, my neighbor and I picked and ate for a week! I love imagining you and Annie laughing, talking, pitting, and jamming all afternoon. Thank you for all your images and stories.

  8. The bright side to the kitchen is that you and Annie will have a blast and many, many memories making the cherry jam.
    Explain the college system there…I think Steven and Chelsea started at the same time, and he’s still trudging along for a B.S. Is the college system different, or is Chelsea just super, super advanced?

  9. yummy…cherry jam. that was one thing i so enjoyed while in italy in february. i have to do a bit of hunting to find it here but, i do find it once in a while 🙂
    have a lovely weekend.

  10. Nothing sweeter than fresh cherries which are in season here at the moment, too. On my way to visit a friend who’s recovering from hip replacement surgery I passed a stand. There were a lot of cars there, not room for mine to fit in, so I vowed I’d stop on the way back home and take her some the next day. Unfortunately, the stand was down by the time I went home. Perhaps today she’ll be there again.
    Kitchen remodels are inherently “behind” – my best friend said anytime you’re doing anything to a kitchen, figure twice the time schedule you’re given and add another three days just for good measure.
    The welcome mat is still out if you do the ride this summer or any summer.

  11. I would call you a “free spirit”. That is a wonderful thing! Also, you are so lucky to get your cherries for free – they are $4.99 a pound here and who know where they come from!

  12. I can almost taste that homemade cherry jam and homemade cherry pie…one of my favs!

  13. I love cherries too- show us the pie when you’re done please 🙂

  14. Cherry jam… I can already taste it! YUM! I’ll bet you and Anniie have a wonderful time together! You’ll have stories for future generations, just as Annie has shared with you!

  15. martina

    Washington state is well known for their cherry crops (Bings mostly I think). Share your cherry recipes please! Any pear recipes? Neighbor’s tree will produce oodles later this summer.

  16. Cherries, Harley’s and Kitchen sinks – no matter – as long as I get to see the ‘seat of your pant’s’ sometime this summer!!!!
    Hugs
    U.
    MISS YOU!

  17. I can’t stand to see fruit go bad either. That’s why I’ll probably be making my own 25 tons of plum jam the week before my wedding.
    Every time you write about cherry jam it makes me want to try making it. Hmm. Maybe a project for this weekend.

  18. Time is moving unusually fast! Although I find myself saying that every year around this time! Here’s to the “Flying by the seat of your pants club!” I’m a card carrying member!
    Good score on the cherries, and there isn’t finer company than Annie to make the jam with! Have fun!
    xo Isa

  19. I would love your cherry jam recipe. That sounds devine. My goal is to learn how to can this year! Cherries are in bloom around here also, The pretty red against the green leaves look so friendly!
    Good luck on the remodeling. I’ve learned that even the easiest of jobs take a lot longer than expected, unless you do it yourself. And, of course with everything we do, we just cant manage to do everything…LOL! If I were you I would go and stay in your friends cozy & beautiful retreat and than awake to cooking something really yummy in your new kitchen.

  20. Each day I anticipate your stories of living by the seat of your pants. I can’t wait to hear more about the cherry jam too. I have two cherry trees, but never thought to make cherry jam. Yummmm!

  21. oh, i sympathize with the “no kitchen” scene, it took almost 6 months for mine to be finished but i love!!! it so. have fun with annie, so glad she’s there for more adventures together with you! what a wonderful friendship to treasure always.

  22. Hi Corey,
    Harley or not…aren’t you and Sacha coming “home” this year??? I thought California was a tradition!

  23. Corey,
    I love hearing of your adventures with Annie! I hope she is well over the spell she had the other day.
    Favorite memories of my childhood are of my mother spending hours canning, making jams and conserves from the fruit grown in our backyard. We had apricot, peach (2), plum (2), fig trees. My favorite was the conserve she made from figs, which contained lemon slices and walnut pieces.
    Speaking of your picture, my daughter and I agree that you bear a striking resemblance to my favorite Aunt.

  24. Cherries!! The thought of you cooking up a million jars of preserves deliegts!
    You have arrived in Cherry Heaven, methinks. Even if your kitchen is delayed. you have Cherries galore.
    Some people just live right!
    Thank you for your message.
    Happy weekend.
    xox
    C

  25. Ahhhh Cherries…drooling. 🙂

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