Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries…. and No, George Didn’t Chop Down That Tree!

Image from the collection at George Washington’s Mt. Vernon

Cherries. We love them in everything from sauces to desserts to ice cream to salads to quick breads and the bold red color of most varieties certainly fits with this Valentine month. But how did the apocryphal tale about George (also well-considered this month as we celebrate President’s Day) get started?

Well it turns out that Mason Locke Weems, an early biographer of Washington, made up that story! This first biography included many untrue anecdotes about Washington’s life but the one about the cherry tree somehow stuck. Weems wrote it to show the importance of honesty to Washington which, in retrospect, makes the story that much more fascinating. Want to learn more about this legend? CLICK here for a short video from Mt. Vernon, Washington’s home on the Potomac.

Why not celebrate the last few weeks of February with three of our favorite cherry recipes – two sweets and one cocktail?

Cherry Lemon Tea Bread – You’ve probably got most of the ingredients in your fridge and pantry right now so just add a package of dried unsweetened cherries to your grocery list. You’ll have a quick bread that’s sure to please for breakfast or with a salad (into which you should toss a few fresh or dried cherries and walnuts) for dinner.

Cherry Sherbet – Never thought about making your own sherbet? It’s not as difficult as you might think and doesn’t involve owning any specialized equipment like an ice cream machine. Just the energy to whip it multiple times to get a creamy texture. It’s amazing on top of our cherry lemon tea bread.

Amaretto Sour –  We’re sure you’d enjoy a delicious cocktail while you’re whipping up the cherry bread and sherbet so why not try our recipe for an Amaretto Sour? An ounce and a half of Amaretto stirred into our recipe for home-made sour mix and you’ve got a delicious cocktail. And don’t forget a cherry or two to top it off!