Introducing... the cherry pitter

Last summer, I inherited an old family heirloom – my grandmother’s cherry pitter. Each summer, my grandmother would patiently wash, pit and turn the bounty of cherries growing in the backyard into homemade preserves and pies for her family. She was known for canning large jars of whole pitted cherries as well as for her cherry pies - and the light, flaky crusts that always turned out so perfectly.

Turning the gadget over in my hands last summer, I had no idea how to use it or even which way was up. But after nearly two seasons I’m proud to say that I finally have the hang of the darling vintage gadget, and thrilled to breathe new life into it. The trick is - each cherry has to sit in the circular ring just so to press the pit out clean and it all has to be carefully angled so juices don’t splatter everywhere.

With the art of cherry pitting now firmly mastered, I’ve been enjoying making all kinds of new wonderful recipes - homemade cherry salsa, cherry ice cream and a special treat of homemade brownies with warm cherry sauce. You can toss cherries in fruit salads, green salads, on yogurt or even in red wine making impromptu sangria! This weekend I’m planning to make a delicious cherry sauce to go along with grilled pork tenderloins on the barbeque.

So if you’re looking for a kitchen tool that will inspire fun, new recipes this summer (one that won't take two summers to master), try picking up one of OXO’s Good Grips Cherry & Olive Pitter that we have in stock. You can use it with cherries in the summer and olives during other times of the year. It’s perfect for taking on all the delicious local cherries in season and trying something new in the process.