Cherries and Rice

I broke down yesterday and, sustainability be damned, bought a pound of California cherries. I couldn't help myself, really. The cherries were piled high on the fruit stand, taunting me with their ruby glow, and I knew it'd be a while yet before our local cherries hit the markets. I'd been walking under the midday sun for a while and all I could think of, as I gazed at the display, was that cold, clear flavor that cherries have when they pop in your mouth.

(Eating cherries makes me think of sitting at my mother's kitchen table in our old apartment in Berlin. My memory says that it has to be warm out, because that's when the local cherries are always for sale, and it should be late - way past dinner, because cherries are such a good late-night snack - but the sky is still light. Northern Europe is nice that way. As long as it's still light out, the birds stay awake and sing in the trees. So I sit at the table and crunch my way through a handful of just-chilled cherries while the birds chirp away and the light filters through the leaves of the tree outside our long kitchen windows. I guess that's how cherries are meant to be eaten. There' s just no other way.)

Back in New York, I brought my three dollar sack of cherries to the office and popped one, then another in my mouth. I closed my eyes as I chewed and imagined myself back in our old kitchen, listening to the birds, with cherry juice squirting inside my cheek and my mother at the counter. Just then, as these things are wont to happen, the phone went and my mother's voice rang out on the other end of the line. We hadn't spoken in almost a week. As I listened to her say hello from her balcony, my mouth full of cherries, I could hear the Berlin birds chirp in the background. Just as they were supposed to.

It was such a silly little moment and it felt like pure magic.

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It's been another quiet week in my kitchen and it's kind of making me crazy. I'm dying to try Amy's pavlova and Florence's rillette sandwich and I'm flirting dangerously with buying an ice-cream machine and soon enough my CSA will start up again and I'll have vegetables coming out of my ears (I can't wait), but right now I'm struggling to even get an egg fried for dinner. And I know you don't want to read about that.

But I do have to tell you that I'm currently reading Nigel Slater's genius book, Real Fast Food. Do you know why Slater's such a genius? Two reasons:

1. Because, as a food writer, he manages to make everything he writes about sound delicious and perfect and exactly what you should be eating for dinner. Whether he's writing about fish stick sandwiches or broiled chicken breasts, Slater whets my appetite like no other person I know.

2. He legitimizes almost anything for dinner. Sauteed mushrooms on toast? That's dinner. Melted Gruyere cheese spooned over boiled potatoes? That's dinner. Canned sardines, brown bread and mustard? That's all there is for dinner, and it's perfect. Your larder is a veritable treasure trove when Nigel's telling you what to cook.

And so, as I read tonight that sometimes plain white rice can be served as a main course "if you are feeling decidedly delicate", I realized that the half-empty pot of day-old rice in my fridge actually could serve a purpose, instead of just taking up space there until I felt strong enough to throw out the leftovers and use the pot for something useful again. I wasn't feeling decidedly delicate, rather robust to tell you the truth, but I didn't have time to cook and there was very little else in the house otherwise. With Nigel's wise instructions in my head, I forked the cold rice into a bowl, ate the still-fragrant, tender grains and felt very happy and nourished indeed.

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Tomorrow morning we're off to Bermuda for my friend Betsy's wedding, where there will be kilt-clad Scots, a lot of men in knee-length shorts, and a very beautiful bride. I can't wait. Happy Memorial Day, everyone! May your barbecues be smoky and your beers cold.

Comments

[Mercedes]

I love it, I totally support the idea of anything for dinner- a big bowl of dressed arugula and some strawberries, or simply some roast potatoes. One shouldn't be judged for eating what appeals to them, especially if it's homemade and healthful.

[French Laundry at Home]

Cherries. Yum. Now I won't feel guilty doing the SAME THING, which I've been dying to do for about a week now.

[Anne]

eating cherries always reminds me of sitting in my old kitchen, too -- i could swing my legs around on the stools. and the house is torn down now, which means i think i have to run out and get some cherries, too.

- anne, menuism.com intern

[Nina]

Funny -- I'm in LA, CA right now, eating cherries -- the first Bings and Rainiers I've seen at the Santa Monica farmer's market. Don't want to brag or anything, but just to agree -- eating cherries is something special. :) Beautiful post.

[lobstersquad]

I´ve been holding off cherries these past two weeks, waiting for the really good ones from the valle del Jerte, and now a freak hailstorm has ruined the whole harvest. I am devastated.
That was a lovely post about the cherries in Berlin.

[Mary]

When leftover rice is the only thing available, it makes a fine dinner. I have a habit of using it to make a salad by throwing in chopped up bits of whatever else is in the fridge. Can't wait to taste the first cherries (local or not, I haven't been to the grocery store in over a week). Have a fun trip!

[Anne]

I gave into the California cherries as well. The fruit stand guy insisted I try one and I was a goner.

Get the ice cream maker! I just did and I'm as giddy as a schoolgirl with a Davey Jones autograph.

[Robin]

Oh, Luisa, I wish I had known earlier that you were familiar with Berlin! My boyfriend ad I were just there on vacation last week, and I would have loved to get some tips. We did well enough on our own, but there's nothing quite like insider's advice.

[Susan from Food "Blogga"]

That's funny--I just posted about California cherries and how expensive they are here (but worth every penny). Yet, you have them for less in NY!

I share your admiration for Nigel Slater's writing. It's brilliant in its simplicity.

[Lydia]

I've been reading about cherries on so many of my favorite blogs -- now I really have to get to the market and splurge! A bowl of cherries sounds like a perfect dinner...or lunch...or breakfast!

[Leah]

I've been buying cherries like nobody's business every week since they burst into the markets - both down in Southern California and when I've visited up north in the East Bay. Heavenly.

I hope you are having a *wonderful* time on your trip, and I hope I get to read one more post before I leave on mine!

[Julie]

Damn, but you're a good writer, girl.

[Aoife]

Mmmm . . . suddenly mushrooms on toast for dinner and cherries for dessert sound very good.

[Mar]

At first I thought you had the two together, which brought memories of albaloo polow to my head which is rice, sour cherries, some sugar, oil, saffron, and slivered pistachios.

[lindy]

That albaloo thing sounds amazingly good, Mar.
Luisa, I succumbed to the lure of some dark, "sweet" cherries myself, and they were sadly ungood. I felt reproved. Then, I saw some Ranier cherries on sale at the supermarket, and succumbed again. Bingo..weakness rewarded.

[Sarah]

I know just how you feel about those lovely cherry piles! In Chinatown they are 2 pounds for $3 -- how could anyone say no?

[Luisa]

Sarah - seriously? Those are good prices. Aaaaand....I'm off to Chinatown.

[Jessika]

may I choke you with the fact that here, mid-Sweden, it is now light until almost ten at night :).

[Rebecca]

I can't resist the cherries, either; they are absolutely my favorite fruit, and I don't think we really even have local cherries here in Pittsburgh. If we do they are definitely not as plump and luscious as the ones from far away.

[Victoria Carr]

Oh, what a lovely little post. Nigel is divine. Absolutely perfect. Another one of those Brits who only needs a first name. Nigella, Delia, Jamie. I was going to say that Nigel's book Appetite is, in my opinion, his best. But I can't because they are all so wonderful. This one is different though because it is so unconstructed. I can't say it doesn't actually have recipes; I use his instructions for how to make hollandaise sauce, but it's really about how to satisfy your cravings without slavishly following recipes. More than highly recommended! Unfortunately, at this point Amazon.uk is the best way to get your hands on it. I would also recommend Delia's Winter Collection by Delia Smith. It's a superb collection of winter comfort food that really appeals when the weather starts to cool down. And, yes, those London River Cafe women write amazing, appealing, user-friendly cookbooks.

I must say how much I continue to enjoy this blog. There are so many wonderful cooking and food blogs out there, but I find I have to limit myself because I do have a job and even some other interests. So I limit myself to the ones written by people I imagine I'd like to grab a six-pack and sit on a beach with. And Luisa is for sure one of those people. Great work, Luisa, thanks for all these happy (and sometimes fattening) moments.