California Cherry Salad

Truth be told, it’s been raining all week. But cherries were in season, and on sale, so I thought up a fun Summer salad to get me in the spirit. And I happen to know a really cool way to pit your cherries without all the mess. A small amount of juices may come out, so I recommend an apron just in case, but you will not get squirted in the eye as with most cherry pitting methods, and this is a pretty easy way to go about pitting, in my experience.

1. First, get an empty soda or wine bottle, or some other such bottle with a narrow opening.

2. Place the cherry on top, bottoms-up.

1. Puncture a hole in the cherry with a chopstick. (The puncturing is easier with the sharp end)

2. Push all the way through until the pit comes out the other end and lands in the bottle! (Easier with the dull end)

You’ll need cherries, peaches, blueberries, and mint for this recipe. The cherries and blueberries go in whole. The peaches can be diced. And the mint can be finely chopped. Go easy on the mint. You only need a couple of leaves at most. And use whatever proportions you like for the other fruits.

Mix everything together and serve chilled