I absolutely LOVE cherries. Artificial cherry flavour has a bad reputation, but it’s my absolute favourite fake flavour (lollipops, jello, popsicles). I love fresh cherries even more than fake ones and nothing says summer to me more than cherries. Growing up in Vancouver meant that summertimes were made for road-tripping it down to the Okanagan Valley to pick fruit at all the U-Pick orchards.
Sometimes my whole extended family would go on a camping trip together, but my favourite times were when it was just the four of us, me, my mom and dad, and Kevin. We’d pack a tent, bring some buckets and live the fruit picking life for a couple of weeks. No TV, no phones (smart phones didn’t exist back then!), just the stars, the barbecue and massive fruit orchards.
My dad would insist on driving around to all the orchards to find the best u-pick price. My mom would be more concerned about the quality of fruit and whether or not pesticides were used. Kevin and I would just be itching to get out of the van. Fruit picking is a lot of fun and a lot of hard work. Still, we were pretty quick about the whole thing – the ladder would come out, trees would be climbed, fruit would be picked. On our way home, our little van would be packed to the brim full of peaches, cherries and apricots. After the long and winding drive, we’d invite our family and friends over to help themselves to the free fruit stand we’d set up in our backyard. Those trips were always my favourite part of summer.
Sadly, I haven’t gone to pick cherries in a long time now. Happily though, my Whole Foods carries locally sourced BC cherries. I partnered up with them today to bring you this post and a giveaway! Whole Foods is giving away a $50 gift card to one lovely reader.
To enter: please leave a comment below with your favourite childhood summer food memory. Giveaway ends on July 22nd at 12AM PST. Open to US or Canadian residents only. Winner will be chosen by a random number generator. Good luck!
UPDATE: Yay! Cindy M, get ready to go shopping because you just won a $50 Whole Foods gift card! Congrats!
Easy Pistachio Cherry Tart Recipe
makes 9 tarts
- 1/2 sheet store bought puff pastry, thawed
- 1/4 cup ricotta
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons honey, or to taste
- 14 cherries, halved and pitted
- 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios
Cut the puff pastry into 9 equal pieces and poke all over with fork so they don’t puff too much in the oven. Bake according to the package. While the puff is baking, whip together the ricotta, cream cheese and honey until fluffy and smooth. Adjust to taste. When the puff is ready, cool and if needed, flatten slightly so the cherries have a nice level plane to sit on. When cool, spread with ricotta mix, top with cherry halves and chopped pistachios. Enjoy!
My favorite childhood summer food memory is getting ice cream from the ice cream truck at the park near my house every summer.
My favorite childhood memory from summer is a family trip to Florida.
My grandparents were farmers in Eastern North Carolina. One of my fondest childhood memories was going out to the field to pick a watermelon with my grandfather. The melons were large enough for my eight-year old self to sit on and I couldn’t wait to get inside for a slice. The pop of the rind when cut and the sugary smell before that first sweet bite are vivid to my senses to this day.
My mom used to make this no-bake pistachio pudding pie that was to die for! It was cool and creamy, and lime green! I think it was a pre-made pie crust with an instant pudding type filling, and then we spooned some whipped cream on top. It was refreshing and definately a summer treat!
Lots of popsicles- watermelon, cherry, grape, and lemonade!
You know that feeling at thanksgiving when you are on the brink of falling asleep or needing to unbutton that button on your pants (fortunately, Growing older has given me the wisdom to wear dresses) I replicated that experienced frequently in the summer eating cantaloupes. I found nothing more enjoyable than having my mom hand me half a cantaloupe. I got to scoop the seeds and it was ready for me to take on my adventure. I would scoop and eat an entire half, sometimes whole, cantaloupe to myself somedays. Could still do it these days if I could just stop my watermelon craze as I am walking down the produce isle…
Sliced papaya with a squeeze of lime and dash of salt/ Picking blackberries from our woodsy backyard and transforming them into southern cobbler/ Catching and boiling Blue Crabs on vacations to Edisto, SC.